(a) There are created within this state 12 special districts. The geographical boundary of each special district shall correspond with and shall be conterminous with the geographical boundary of the applicable region of the 12 regional commissions provided for in subsection (f) of Code Section 50-8-4.

(b) When the imposition of a special district sales and use tax is authorized according to the procedures provided in this article within a special district, subject to the requirement of referendum approval and the other requirements of this article, a special sales and use tax shall be imposed within the special district for a period of ten years which tax shall be known as the special district transportation sales and use tax.

(c) Nothing in this article shall be construed as limiting the establishment of a fund or funds which would provide at least 20 years of maintenance and operation costs from proceeds of the special district transportation sales and use tax used to construct, finance, or otherwise develop transit capital projects; provided, however, that the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, created by an Act approved March 10, 1965 (Ga. L. 1965, p. 2243), as amended, shall not be authorized to use any proceeds from the special district transportation sales and use tax for expenses of maintenance and operation of such portions of the transportation system of such authority in existence on January 1, 2011.

(d) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (e) of this Code section, any tax imposed under this article shall be at the rate of 1 percent. Except as to rate, a tax imposed under this article shall correspond to the tax imposed by Article 1 of this chapter. No item or transaction which is not subject to taxation under Article 1 of this chapter shall be subject to a tax imposed under this article, and a tax imposed under this article shall not apply to:

(1) The sale or use of any type of fuel used for off-road heavy-duty equipment, off-road farm or agricultural equipment, or locomotives;

(2) The sale or use of jet fuel as such term is defined in Code Section 48-8-2, except to the extent allowed pursuant to Code Section 48-8-3.5;

(3) The sale or use of fuel that is used for propulsion of motor vehicles on the public highways. For purposes of this paragraph, a motor vehicle means a self-propelled vehicle designed for operation or required to be licensed for operation upon the public highways;

(4) The sale or use of energy used in the manufacturing or processing of tangible goods primarily for resale; or

(5) Motor fuel as defined under paragraph (9) of Code Section 48-9-2 for public mass transit.

The tax imposed pursuant to this article shall only be levied on the first $5,000.00 of any transaction involving the sale or lease of a motor vehicle. The tax imposed pursuant to this article shall be subject to any sales and use tax exemption which is otherwise imposed by law; provided, however, that the tax levied by this article shall be applicable to the sale of food and food ingredients as provided for in paragraph (57) of Code Section 48-8-3.

(e) Any tax imposed under this article on or after July 1, 2015, may be at a rate of up to 1 percent but shall not be more than 1 percent. Any rate less than 1 percent shall be in an increment of .05 percent. This subsection shall not apply to taxes under this article imposed or to be imposed under resolutions and ordinances adopted prior to July 1, 2015.

(f) Any tax imposed under this article on or after July 1, 2015, shall be required to expend at least 30 percent of the estimated revenue on projects included in the state-wide strategic transportation plan as defined in paragraph (6) of subsection (a) of Code Section 32-2-22.