Letters to the Editor

SPLOST will free up money to enable local officials’ pet projects

Tue, 10/20/2009 - 4:27pm
By: Letters to the ...

Nov. 3 is fast approaching and I will vote no for SPLOST.

When given the chance to lower the sales tax rate on your purchased goods in Fayette County, what will you do? Take time to think about what SPLOST stands for and represents. Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax, in my eyes, represents a supplemental tax stream to free up other tax money for other pet, I mean special, projects of our local governments.

In addition, take some time to look at the listed projects (www.fayettecountyga.gov) and ask yourself is it a want or a true need.

To me a true need is something I can’t live without. For example, listed in the SPLOST is $5 million for a speculative college campus in Fayette. The mantra is they did this in Fairburn and it worked great.

In this economy, doesn’t the word “speculative” make you nervous? Isn’t that what got some homebuilders in trouble? What happens if no one occupies the buildings? Who makes the payments, pays the utilities, etc. if they don’t get a renter? We do!

If it is such a great idea, then put together a bond issue and let the taxpayers vote on it based on its own merits. Sorry, but this is not a true need.

The largest ticket item on the proposed use of the SPLOST funds is to pay off the Fayette Justice Center for $55 million. It is has been stated that they want to save $21 million in interest.

In my eyes, the problem is that the $21 million they save will be spent elsewhere on a want. Why increase MY burden of paying it off faster instead of spreading it over the life of the loan; especially when I know they aren’t going to save the $21 million?

Lastly, I am personally familiar with some of the suggested road improvements such as Goza and Old Greenville, Ebenezer and Spear, Bernhard and Ga. Highway 85, etc. In my opinion, there is not an urgent need to improve those intersections.

I challenge you to look at the list and separate the vital few from the trivial many. So far I have only found the trivial many and not even the vital few. I suggest you vote no to six more years of SPLOST and make our elected leaders live within their normal tax budgets.

Michael Chrzanowski

Peachtree City, Ga.

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property tax
Submitted by heatjam on Mon, 10/26/2009 - 11:31am.

problem with your theory is that, without the SPLOST, your property taxes will more than likely go up. At least with the SPLOST you have a choice of where to shop & what to shop for...no choice with property taxes...you have to pay them.

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Build It and They Will Come
Submitted by Just Saying on Mon, 10/26/2009 - 5:28am.

Here's a revolutionary, out-of-the-box idea...if a "major university" wants a campus in Fayette County, they should buy the land and build the buildings themselves! Or maybe...they can lease/purchase some of the millions of square feet of empty retail space throughout the county. Clayton State or Atlanta Christian would be great tenants for the baby Kroger or, even better, the multi-million dollar black hole called Rivers Elementary.

Also, looking at the list of road improvements, etc. (www.fayettecountyga.gov), these look like projects that should be supported with the taxes that I'm already paying. If they need more money to provide these basic services (paving, sidewalks, shoulder improvements)...what are they spending our current money on?

My concern is that their shady strategy of sneaking this on the ballot during an off election year will motivate only the SPLOST beneficiaries (developers, etc.) to vote. Advance voting continues this week at Stonewall Village, PTC Library and the Tyrone Library from 8am - 5pm. I'll be there Thursday to vote NO for SPLOST.

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Excellent anti-SPLOST letter Mr. Chrzanowski
cogitoergofay's picture
Submitted by cogitoergofay on Sun, 10/25/2009 - 8:13pm.

Excellent anti-SPLOST letter Mr. Chrzanowski. I was in Washington the Tax Rally Weekend. The central issue is trust and America does not have much trust in her leaders. Good analysis!


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SPLOST Opposition Mounting
grassroots's picture
Submitted by grassroots on Sun, 10/25/2009 - 7:52pm.

Good Letter. Between the West Fayetteville Bypass Coalition and FAY-COG look for breaking news this coming week on the legal front and heavy opposition giving reasons why SPLOST is busted for the smoke and mirrors tactics used by the commissioners: http://www.splostpoll.blogspot.com/
has the facts and will expose this scam before election date.


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Exactly
Submitted by ginga1414 on Sun, 10/25/2009 - 7:40am.

You are so right on the money. If it hadn't been for the 2004 SPLOST being put on the ballot in a very vague and underhanded manner, our commissioners wouldn't be trying to build the West Fayetteville Bypass/Parkway. This is a case where a road is being built to accommodate many powerful developers, builders and investors who own well over a thousand acres along the route of the road. The road isn't being built to relieve existing traffic. It is being built to relieve the traffic that will happen when those developers, builders and investors flood the area with thousands more cars after they have developed all those acres along the Bypass. Our commissioners want that development and they don't care who or what they have to destroy to accomplish their goals. They will destroy many many homes, home sites, lives, wetlands, streams, wildlife habitats, and the face of Fayette County forever. They will destroy the way of life Fayette County citizens have loved and cherished for many many generations. That is absolutely sickening. Fayette County is rapidly becoming another Gwinnett County. When all that happens, the folks who were able to satisfy their PET PROJECTS will have the money to leave poor little old Fayette County behind and move on to another area where the destruction will begin all over again.

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