SPLOST, still a waste

Like many other topics on this blog, I've posted about SPLOST before (SPLOST, Sunday, May 23, 2010). But I can't help myself. I'm going to talk about it again. I thought I was done for a while but I read something the other day that re-opened the subject in my mind.

All links below are from the Marietta Daily Journal.

The first article that caught my eye:
"SPLOST list, dates still unclear" by Katy Ruth Camp
http://www.mdjonline.com/view/full_story/10565406/article-SPLOST-list--dates-still-unclear?

Why did it catch my eye?

"The proposal was presented in September as a six-year plan for the continuation of the 1 percent special purpose local option sales tax, mainly to be used for maintenance and renovations of the county's infrastructure. But the SPLOST was shortened to five years last week, after Commissioners Helen Goreham, Bob Ott and Thea Powell said the project list should only include absolute needs."

Commissioners also want to put a SPLOST to a March vote, at an additional cost of $400,000, rather than let so-called "special purpose" money lapse for 6 months until a regularly scheduled November election. This ought to clearly demonstrate that there is nothing "special purpose" about this tax. It is part of the ongoing funding of leviathan government.

"Some of the projects that appear to be gone after Tuesday's meeting include: renovations and upgrades to the county's public safety training facility ($620,400); room for a new judgeship and corresponding staff and courtroom ($800,000); radio frequency identification for the public library system ($1.5 million); a yet-to-be determined but significant reduction in the $10 million allotted for the Civic Center Exhibit Hall to only fixing water, sewer and electrical problems; a black box theater at Mable House Complex (up to $1 million); a rehearsal hall addition at the Art Place (up to $748,000); additional asphalt runway for model airplanes at Ernie Gilbert Field ($41,000); addition of a disk golf course and access roadway and parking at Pitner Road Park (up to $1.3 million); a new recreation center at Logan Park in Acworth ($3 million); and a Windy Hill/ Terrell Mill connector parallel to Interstate 75 ($14.6 million)."

Are you kidding me? It's great that this stuff is gone, but what does it say about SPLOST that these are the kinds of critical projects that people want to fund with this money? Is this stuff necessary? Of course not, not even close. What a waste!


I also found this online. Makes me sick.
"Tea Party says it will back Cobb SPLOST if it's 3 years or less" by Katy Ruth Camp
http://www.mdjonline.com/view/full_story/10612420/article-Tea-Party-says-it-will-back-Cobb-SPLOST-if-it-s-3-years-or-less?

So much for the Tea Party being a principled group standing up for the taxpayer.

"Maloy said: 'This issue is all three of those. So why aren't we simply just opposing the SPLOST? That would be much smaller government, much lower taxes and less spending. But there are some practicalities we have to look at, and contrary to a lot of people's beliefs, Tea Parties are not unreasonable. We understand when things have to be a certain way. But we work to try to make long-term changes.'"

"Those practicalities include keeping residents safe in buildings that could harm others if they are not repaired, by repairing or rebuilding bridges that could become a safety hazard in the near future, and fixing roads that are crumbling and could cause accidents or car damage, Maloy said."

What a load of crap. Maloy is not fit to call himself a member of any Tea Party. This is the justification that people have used for ages. We "need" certain things. Maybe we do, but that doesn't justify taking more of our money. It just means that we need to stop wasting money on things we don't need. As mentioned above.


Here is another example:
"The 'special purpose': Time to put it back in SPLOST"
http://www.mdjonline.com/view/full_story/10608844/article-The--special-purpose--Time-to-put-it-back-in-SPLOST?

"Apparently, in the face of opposition not only from the public but a majority of his fellow commissioners, Chairman Tim Lee insists on going for a king-sized SPLOST and a March referendum, more concerned about avoiding a six-month gap in collecting the tax than the very real prospect of outright defeat. Then again, maybe he's looking at that guaranteed low turnout in March and a better chance of winning."

Lee is also one of the commissioners who cannot wait for a SPLOST vote in November, he wants to take our money as soon as possible. Lee is supposedly a Republican. I saw through him from the start. I voted for his opponent, and I can see I made the right choice.