Sales tax list pared by panel

A $48 million Classic Center expansion is among the projects that are not likely to make the first cut for a sales-tax referendum this November.

A 22-member citizen committee trimmed $272 million in requests down to $204 million, but officials still must cut at least another $32 million to craft a list for voters to consider. If voters extend the 1 percent sales tax, it will run until Athens-Clarke County collects $170 million, or about eight years.

The Classic Center expansion, the second-most expensive proposed project, was among the casualties during the first round of cuts, which now goes to the Athens-Clarke Commission for approval.

"There were lots and lots of people that really wanted it, but couldn't figure out (how to pay for it) with such a small amount of money and all the necessities out there," said Gwen O'Looney, a member of the SPLOST committee and the Classic Center's board of directors.

The most expensive proposal is to rebuild and expand the aging and overcrowded Clarke County Jail. Athens-Clarke commissioners, who have final say on the SPLOST list, already have set aside $84 million for the jail, as well as $2 million for the cities of Bogart and Winterville.

The SPLOST selection committee's initial list includes 50 projects costing a total of $118 million. The preliminary list includes:

► $25 million for public safety - such as police and firefighting equipment, a new Atlanta Highway fire station and a new police evidence room - not including the jail.

► $48 million for projects classified as basic infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, sidewalks, bicycle lanes, buying greenspace and renovating government buildings.

► $44 million for "quality of life" projects, including trails, parks, public art, library books, a westside Boys & Girls Club and a center for hard-to-recycle materials.

The committee reviewed proposals during twice-weekly meetings and finalized its initial list only a

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