RINGGOLD, Ga. – Catoosa County voters will decide March 19 whether to approve a new 1 percent sales tax.
The county commission passed an intergovernmental agreement with the city councils in Ringgold and Fort Oglethorpe on Tuesday night, triggering an election for a Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax. Officials for the three governments estimate the new tax would create $60 million in revenue over five years, with Catoosa County getting $42 million, Fort Oglethorpe getting $12 million and Ringgold getting $6 million.
The county officials approved the agreement 3-2, with Chairman Steven Henry, Commissioner Jim Cutler and Commissioner Jeff Long arguing it will improve the area’s infrastructure. Before the vote, Cutler sold his side of the argument with rhetorical questions toward County Attorney Chad Young.
“In the truest form of democracy, what we’re doing is allowing the citizens of Catoosa County to vote for the T-SPLOST or against the T-SPLOST, whichever they desire?” he asked.
“That’s right,” Young said. “It’s got to pass by a simple majority: 50 percent, plus one.”