Commissioner Mereda Davis Johnson to Host District 5 SPLOST Town Hall Meeting

On Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2023, District 5 Commissioner Mereda Davis Johnson will host an informational town hall meeting focused on educating citizens about the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) II. 

The meeting will be held at the East DeKalb Senior Center at Bruce Street Senior Center, 2449 Bruce Street, Lithonia, Georgia 30058 at 6:30 p.m. 

In November, voters will have an opportunity to consider SPLOST II and EHOST, which if passed collectively, can provide $1 billion in property tax relief to DeKalb homeowners. 
The relief would come from a proposed Equalized Homestead Option Sales Tax (EHOST) credit for homeowners who qualify for a homestead exemption. If approved, this relief would begin in 2024.

SPLOST supports countywide improvements that promote a high quality of life for all residents and is projected to generate $388 million revenue through 2024 for capital outlay projects in DeKalb County in the areas of roads, buildings, vehicles and major equipment, and other long-lived improvements. The current SPLOST was approved by 71 percent voters in a referendum in November 2017 and will run until 2024, with 85 percent restricted to transportation projects and 15 percent for parks and other capital repairs. 

In March of 2023, the Georgia House and Senate unanimously passed HB 431, with a bipartisan vote paving the way for SPLOST II in DeKalb. HB 431 removed the restrictions of SPLOST I and allows for Capital Outlay projects

"SPLOST I has been instrumental in paving over 250 miles of roads and making significant investments in our parks and libraries, said Commissioner Davis Johnson. “We want to hear from District 5 residents and share the outlook of our future with SPLOST II.
Attendees will have an opportunity to hear from the SPLOST project team in DeKalb and ask questions about the upcoming referendum.”