Alpharetta and Milton residents will decide this fall whether to extend a 0.75% sales tax that funds road, sidewalk, and bridge projects across North Fulton County.

The Fulton County Board of Commissioners voted Monday, Aug. 3, at a special called meeting to place the Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax renewal on the Tuesday, Nov. 3, ballot. The commission also signed an intergovernmental agreement governing how the estimated $653 million in revenue would be split among 15 participating cities over five years.

Both Alpharetta and Milton are named parties to the IGA, according to the Call for Election document issued by Fulton County Elections Director Nadine Williams.

The commission approved the referendum resolution and IGA without discussion, according to Rough Draft Atlanta.

What the tax pays for

TSPLOST revenue funds roadway congestion relief, sidewalks and streetscapes, bridge repairs, and maintenance. The 0.75% levy applies to taxable purchases in Fulton County outside Atlanta city limits. Revenue is divided among cities based on population.

If voters approve the renewal, collections would begin April 1, 2027, and run through March 31, 2032. The current TSPLOST expires March 31, 2027, so approval would keep the sales tax rate unchanged for shoppers in Alpharetta and Milton.

This would be the third extension of the tax, which Fulton County voters first approved in 2016 and renewed in 2021.

What Alpharetta and Milton get

Specific dollar allocations for Alpharetta and Milton have not been publicly released. As a reference point, Sandy Springs is estimated to receive $129 million, or 17.2% of total revenue, based on its population share.

Alpharetta City Council approved its TSPLOST 3 project list on June 1, incorporating those projects into the city's capital improvement plan for fiscal years 2028–2031. Milton Mayor Peyton Jamison participated in a June 9 special called meeting where TSPLOST was among the topics discussed. Neither city's mayor was quoted at the Aug. 3 meeting.

Sandy Springs Mayor Rusty Paul, speaking at the Aug. 3 meeting, described how his city has used TSPLOST funds: "These are funds that, without them, we couldn't do a drop in the bucket of what we've been able to accomplish."

Paul said Sandy Springs has roughly $20 million dedicated exclusively to sidewalk projects under the program.

How to vote

The voter registration deadline for the Tuesday, Nov. 3, special election is Monday, Oct. 5. Early in-person voting begins Tuesday, Oct. 13. The last day to submit an absentee ballot application is Friday, Oct. 23.

Residents can check their registration status and find polling locations through the Fulton County Department of Registration and Elections.