Augusta’s Ready For The Referendum

Augusta, GA—It’s how Augusta will get its say on the sales tax. City crews were installing voting machines at 52 polling places, across the city, including St. Johns Tower. This is where 80-year-old Lottie Powell will be voting, and you can put her in the ‘for it’ column.

“I’m going to vote for the sales tax because I’ve been living in Augusta so long I know they need to improve things,” Powell said.

In the final hours before the vote, City Administrator Fred Russell was out giving one more S.P.L.O.S.T. speech. Russell outlined the benefits of the more than $180 million package, but spent a lot of time on what’s called the Rocky Creek Drainage Plan Regency Mall, a small project drawing a lot of attention.

“People focus on what draws their attention and we knew it would be a little bit out there when we talked about it,” said Russell.

The plan is to use $3.5 million in sales tax money to dam Rocky Creek at Regency Mall, and create a 13-acre lake.

Russell says the project has a three-fold benefit; 1) controls flooding, 2) will create a lake for recreation, and 3) will make the land near Regency Mall more valuable and could spur new development.

“Maybe somebody will come in and develop that we’re giving them lake front property hopefully kill three birds with one stone,” says Russell.

The mall lake has helped turned some against the next S.P.L.O.S.T., but supporters believe, overall, the majority of city voters back the plan.

“I’ve read comments the positives for this are so strong we’re going to win and we’re going to win big,” said David Penix, of the Vote Yes SPLOST 6 Committee.

More than 2,000 ballots have been cast early in this election, but the vast majority of registered voters in Augusta will be sitting this one out.

Richmond County Board of Elections Director Lynn Bailey is predicting only a ten to twelve percent turnout.