As we head towards fall, debates regarding state and local November ballot measures are heating up. In many places, groups of citizen activists are organizing to push back against the threat of greater spending and higher taxes. In Georgia, the Cobb County Taxpayers Association (CTA) is one such group, speaking out against a Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) measure that is a shoe-in for the infamous “negative” rating in the 2014 edition of NTU’s Ballot Guide.
If passed, the measure would renew a one percent sales tax hike for six years. If thwarted, Cobb County taxpayers would see their sales tax rate drop to 5 percent, which would be the lowest rate in the region. As CTA points out, many counties in the Atlanta area have a rate of 7 percent, meaning that this SPLOST proposal’s defeat would greatly benefit Cobb County residents and businesses by helping to attract more retail activity.
If you’re a concerned taxpayer living in the area, you may want to keep tabs on CTA’s activities. They held an organizational meeting this past Saturday in Marietta and will continue to work to defeat the tax measure. More info can be found HERE. Additionally, be sure to keep an eye on NTU.org as we continue to weigh in on state and local ballot measures. In particular, stay tuned for the release of our annual Ballot Guide, which will be available in the fall.