GA Code § 48-8-121 (2021)
2021 Georgia Code|Title 48 - Revenue and Taxation|Chapter 8 - Sales and Use Taxes|Article 3 - County Sales and Use Taxes|Part 1 - County Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (Splost)|§ 48-8-121. Use of Proceeds; Issuance of General Obligation Debt

    The proceeds received from the tax authorized by this part shall be used by the county and qualified municipalities within the special district receiving proceeds of the sales and use tax exclusively for the purpose or purposes specified in the resolution or ordinance calling for imposition of the tax. Such proceeds shall be kept in a separate account from other funds of such county and each qualified municipality receiving proceeds of the sales and use tax and shall not in any manner be commingled with other funds of such county and each qualified municipality receiving proceeds of the sales and use tax prior to the expenditure.   The governing authority of the county and the governing authority of each qualified municipality within the special district receiving any proceeds from the tax pursuant to this part shall maintain a record of each and every project for which the proceeds of the tax are used. A schedule shall be included in each annual audit which shows for each such project the original estimated cost, the current estimated cost if it is not the original estimated cost, amounts expended in prior years, and amounts expended in the current year. The auditor shall verify and test expenditures sufficient to provide assurances that the schedule is fairly presented in relation to the financial statements. The auditor's report on the financial statements shall include an opinion, or disclaimer of opinion, as to whether the schedule is presented fairly in all material respects in relation to the financial statements taken as a whole.   In the event that a qualified municipality fails to comply with the requirements of this part, the county within the special district shall not be held liable for such noncompliance.       If the resolution or ordinance calling for the imposition of the tax specified that the proceeds of the tax are to be used in whole or in part for capital outlay projects consisting of road, street, and bridge purposes, then authorized uses of the tax proceeds shall include:   Acquisition of rights of way for roads, streets, bridges, sidewalks, and bicycle paths;   Construction of roads, streets, bridges, sidewalks, and bicycle paths;   Renovation and improvement of roads, streets, bridges, sidewalks, and bicycle paths, including resurfacing;   Relocation of utilities for roads, streets, bridges, sidewalks, and bicycle paths;   Improvement of surface-water drainage from roads, streets, bridges, sidewalks, and bicycle paths; and   Patching, leveling, milling, widening, shoulder preparation, culvert repair, and other repairs necessary for the preservation of roads, streets, bridges, sidewalks, and bicycle paths.     Storm-water capital outlay projects and drainage capital outlay projects may be funded pursuant to subparagraph (a)(1)(D) of Code Section 48-8-111 or in conjunction with road, street, and bridge capital outlay projects.     No general obligation debt shall be issued in conjunction with the imposition of the tax unless the governing authority of the county or qualified municipalities within special district issuing the debt determines that, and if the debt is to be validated it is demonstrated in the validation proceedings that, during each year in which any payment of principal or interest on the debt comes due the county or qualified municipalities within special district issuing such debt will receive from the tax authorized by this part net proceeds sufficient to fully satisfy such liability. General obligation debt issued under this part shall be payable first from the separate account in which are placed the proceeds received by the county or qualified municipalities within the special district issuing such debt from the tax authorized by this part. Such debt, however, shall constitute a pledge of the full faith, credit, and taxing power of the county or qualified municipalities within the special district issuing such debt; and any liability on said debt which is not satisfied from the proceeds of the tax authorized by this part shall be satisfied from the general funds of the county or qualified municipalities within the special district issuing such debt.   The resolution or ordinance calling for imposition of the tax authorized by this part may specify that all of the proceeds of the tax will be used for payment of general obligation debt issued in conjunction with the imposition of the tax. If the resolution or ordinance so provides, then such proceeds shall be used solely for such purpose except as provided in subsection (g) of this Code section.   The resolution or ordinance calling for the imposition of the tax authorized by this part may specify that a part of the proceeds of the tax will be used for payment of general obligation debt issued in conjunction with the imposition of the tax. If the ordinance or resolution so provides, it shall specifically state the other purposes for which such proceeds will be used; and such other purposes shall be a part of the capital outlay project or projects for which the tax is to be imposed. In such a case no part of the net proceeds from the tax received in any year shall be used for such other purposes until all debt service requirements of the general obligation debt for that year have first been satisfied from the account in which the proceeds of the tax are placed.   The resolution or ordinance calling for the imposition of the tax may specify that no general obligation debt is to be issued in conjunction with the imposition of the tax. If the ordinance or resolution so provides, it shall specifically state the purpose or purposes for which the proceeds will be used.       If the proceeds of the tax are specified to be used solely for the purpose of payment of general obligation debt issued in conjunction with the imposition of the tax, then any net proceeds of the tax in excess of the amount required for final payment of such debt shall be subject to and applied as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection.   If the county or qualified municipality within the special district receives from the tax net proceeds in excess of the estimated cost of the capital outlay project or projects stated in the resolution or ordinance calling for the imposition of the tax or in excess of the actual cost of such capital outlay project or projects, then such excess proceeds shall be subject to and applied as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection.   If the tax is terminated under paragraph (1) of subsection (b) of Code Section 48-8-112 by reason of denial of validation of debt, then all net proceeds received by the county or qualified municipality within the special district from the tax shall be excess proceeds subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection.     Unless otherwise provided in this part or in an intergovernmental agreement entered into pursuant to this part, excess proceeds subject to this subsection shall be used solely for the purpose of reducing any indebtedness of the county within the special district other than indebtedness incurred pursuant to this part. If there is no such other indebtedness or, if the excess proceeds exceed the amount of any such other indebtedness, then the excess proceeds shall next be paid into the general fund of the county within the special district, it being the intent that any funds so paid into the general fund of the county be used for the purpose of reducing ad valorem taxes.       (Code 1981, §48-8-121, enacted by Ga. L. 1985, p. 232, § 1; Ga. L. 1987, p. 1322, § 3; Ga. L. 1990, p. 382, § 1; Ga. L. 1992, p. 2998, § 3; Ga. L. 1994, p. 97, § 48; Ga. L. 1994, p. 1668, §§ 5-7; Ga. L. 1995, p. 10, § 48; Ga. L. 1995, p. 172, § 5; Ga. L. 1996, p. 1643, § 4A; Ga. L. 1997, p. 541, § 1; Ga. L. 1998, p. 579, § 1; Ga. L. 2004, p. 69, § 15.)   Editor's notes.   - Ga. L. 1994, p. 1668, § 8, not codified by the General Assembly, provided that §§ 6 and 7 of that Act are applicable with respect to taxes imposed prior to April 19, 1994, as well as with respect to taxes imposed on or after that date.