Fayette Citizens for Open Government (FayCOG) made no secret about its preference on how the county 1-cent sales tax initiative should be decided. With the effort now defeated, the group says it will continue working on upcoming issues and will work with candidates for future elections while building a coalition among other community groups.

FayCOG co-chair Harold Bost said the organization went to considerable lengths to oppose the 1-cent sales tax and is happy that voters defeated the initiative by such a wide margin. Speaking last week, Bost said FayCOG’s own public information efforts helped defeat the ill-conceived tax, especially after commissioners failed to follow earlier transportation priorities from six years ago when formulating the use of the current 1-cent tax revenues for projects such as the West Fayetteville bypass.

Organized approximately a year ago, Bost said FayCOG future efforts will center on monitoring the county’s defined benefits plan and it will continue to identify and expose issues and local government actions that are not in the best interest of the citizens.

Bost in referencing additional plans said FayCOG will be active in the 2010 elections by identifying candidates that will work to have transparent government.

“We plan to invite candidates from all parties to appear before the group to present their qualifications and their views concerning open and honest government,” Bost said.

Yet another approach the organization intends to utilize is reaching out to other group with similar objectives to form a coalition, Bost said. A sampling of those groups include the Southern Crescent Tea Party Patriots, the West Bypass coalition, NAACP and the Democratic and Republican parties.

For information on FayCOG and its upcoming Nov. 16 meeting contact Harold Bost at 770-719-0638 or at hbostmail@aol.com.

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