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Published Sunday, February 12, 2012 in Opinion
We hope voters will extend Coweta's SPLOST on March 6
Editorial
Two times this year Coweta County voters will be asked to go to the polls and cast their ballots for SPLOST referendums.
The first SPLOST vote will be held on March 6 during the Georgia Presidential Primary election. On that date voters will decide whether or not to extend the current local SPLOST, which expires at the end of the year. If voters say yes, this local SPLOST -- which provides money for capital improvement projects within Coweta County and within each city in Coweta -- will be extended for seven years.
This SPLOST vote is not a new tax. It's simply an extension of the SPLOST that has been in effect for decades. All the money must be used for capital improvements. Past SPLOSTs have given us the new Coweta Justice Center, paid for renovation of the 1904 Courthouse and the Carnegie Building, provided millions for road and recreation projects throughout our county and cities, and paid for hundreds of other projects.
This SPLOST has enabled our community to stay on top of needed capital improvements without dramatic increases in property taxes. We have already published the long lists of projects that could be completed if this tax is extended. We will repeat that list before election day.
We think our community has been wise in the past to approve this SPLOST. We hope voters will extend the SPLOST when they go to the polls on March 6.
The second SPLOST vote will be the T-SPLOST vote on July 31 on Georgia's Primary Election day. This T-SPLOST vote is a regional referendum that asks voters to approved a new one percent sales tax for transportation projects. Coweta is the largest of 10 counties in the Three-Rivers Region that will determine this T-SPLOST issue for this region. Other counties in the state will vote on T-SPLOST within their regions.
You will be hearing much more about T-SPLOST as the July election nears. Proponents of T-SPLOST say approval is critical -- particularly in the metro Atlanta area in order to ease traffic congestion, increase mass transit options and keep the metro Atlanta area as the brightest star in the Sunbelt.
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We need to do all we can to keep mass transit out of Coweta County. Look what it did to areas such as Clayton and South Fulton Counties. When you make these areas available to more people it is inevitable that schools will suffer right along with property values and overall quality of life. Again, look at what it did to Clayton County.
Posted by john at 6:50 PM
The millage rate is not the problem in this county. The valuation is the problem. one fourth acre valued at $7500.oo with a small home. 100 acres valued at $2000.00 an acre with a mansion on it. The stupid small property owner is paying a much higher property tax proportionally than the large property owner and the large property owner is pushing the SPLOST which puts the biggest burden on the poorer folks. Lets see a rebuttal to this.
Posted by AF Carter at 10:52 AM
But what did I miss, really? At least this editorial makes it official: The Times-Herald LOVES SPLOST! They even printed a story about a supposed TEA Party group (Senoia) that was for it. All bogus. Where is this paper's story from the Coweta TEA Party? They are AGAINST more TAX which is exactly what this is. For real info, seek the Coweta TEA Party's Web site to see an amazing 'wish list' of projects like... a TROLLEY from downtown Newnan to Ashley Park! Have you stopped laughing yet? I, too, have a wish list but in this economy some things can wait!
Posted by Regular Reader at 12:32 AM
Commissioners aren't going to raise the millage rate. They don't have the guts to do it. And we can vote them out of office.
Posted by Ed Murray at 10:08 PM
I, too, think government needs to be within their means of operation. But, for all of you voting no, what are you going to do when the property taxes are raised-in which you have no say? I think that voting for the SPLOST, and shopping and dining out of the county like I try to do 90% of the time, is a smarter way to protest. If they raise our property taxes after the SPLOST is passed, then we can do recall paperwork and have the people removed. THAT is the American way. Now, back to your regularly scheduled comments...
Posted by Holly at 2:40 PM
Not a chance.
Posted by Joseph Breyne at 1:36 PM
Moreland is the perfect example to vote no on splost. They still have three fourths of their money at the end of the splost term..vote no...
Posted by scooter at 10:39 AM
We keep voting yes and for what, so these construction projects can be performed by workers from other countries? The misclassifying of workers as independent contractors is costing us the taxpayers millions. We are paying more sells tax, so contractors can make more off the backs of us, the taxpayers. Sounds like a pretty good gig to me, VOTE YES!
Posted by Terry at 10:08 AM
The county needs splost to pass so it can continue to pay for medical benefits for people who did not work for the county (family members of retirees)
Posted by concerned me at 9:57 AM
The only good thing about a SPLOST tax, is that it can be voted in and then voted away. When more people are working good paying jobs we could reconsider it,but now, the 50% or so I pay in taxes is already too much.
Posted by roger at 8:48 AM
Im voting yes!!
Posted by Lou at 7:35 AM
This voter will be voting NO NO NO splost. /valuation of $25000 for and acre of ground under Georgia Power line right of way. Subdivision lots unsold valued at $2000 per acre lot until sold. Wake up Folks.
Posted by A F Carter at 10:43 PM
NO
Posted by donald mathis at 6:51 PM
Voting no on SPLOSTs isn't voting ourselves a 2% pay raise. It's OUR money to begin with.
Whether our local governments realize it or not, times are tough for Coweta families, and most indicators say it's going to get tougher.
There are times to build and expand, and there are times to scale back, postpone, delay and make hard choices. Families get that, but our government doesn't seem to grasp that concept. New parks, restoration of tennis courts and new furniture for a fire station? Seriously??? This is what you define as needs in a time like this?
DO THEY JUST NOT GET IT, OR DO THEY JUST NOT CARE?
Posted by Elcee at 4:59 PM
"This SPLOST has enabled our community to stay on top of needed capital improvements without dramatic increases in property taxes."
How were these paid for before SPLOST ? That's right, out of the general fund. SPLOST is nothing but permission to grow government bigger and bigger.
Posted by DB at 4:20 PM
Why not run a list of the surpluses each local municipality and the County has in its coffers. And then run the list of the other surplus of SPLOST funds they have as far back as 2002 vote. If my kid came to me and wanted money to do something special and then came back and wanted more money, but said they had some of the money I gave them the first time, do you think it wise to give the kid more money? For that matter, should we keep giving local government more money when they have such surpluses?
Posted by Ed Murray at 3:35 PM
An extension is a new tax. The old one is ending they want a new one to take it's place. No to splost.
Posted by CMC at 3:19 PM
Wait, wait, wait! There are two SPLOSTs now? I am mystified as to how this rubbish continues to pass. I love Newnan. I am not in any way coldhearted. And i am not stupid. The incompetence demonstrated on the road projects we funded over the past few years needs to be dealt with and defunding it is our only voice. as for those who say taxes will raise in other areas, remember this. The taxes dont nave to raise, someone is raising them and that individual can be voted against just as easily as these ridiculous taxes.
Posted by Jiji at 3:19 PM
What if I paid your house payment every month, what would you do with the money that you were going to use to pay that payment? Buy a new TV, vacation, iphone? Government waste starts with the people, if we don't give it to them , they will have to do like we do, budget the money they have!!! Vote yourself a 2% pay raise this year, VOTE NO. When the economy recovers then we can proceed with these projects.
Posted by Broke at 2:25 PM
NOOO..... Say it aint so Times-Herald, aka, mouth piece for their good ole boy politican buddies. The same folks that use the propaganda of the 1 penny tax is false! It is a 1% sales tax per SPLOST. Times Herald has never seen a tax it didnt like.
Posted by JOD at 1:39 PM
The editor doesn't even know the tax last for 6 years - NOT 7 years. So we should trust your opinion on this? If this part is wrong what else is flawed in your thinking?
Posted by mike at 12:44 PM
The editor slides in the stupid argument again - as in if you don't vote for SPLOST you are stupid. Otherwise the editor would not have said "we think our community has been wise in the past to approve SPLOST". Maybe a better choice of words would be to say our leadership has been wise in how it used SPLOST. But again the paper has joined others in the pro-SPLOST vote in attacking anyone who is not for SPLOST. Any citizen exercising their constitutional right to free speech and vote their choice should not be attacked as they are in this community for simply not being on the SPLOST band wagon. By the way, didn't the news industry have a duck of sorts years ago about their paper sales being subject to the sales tax? HMMM that is shoe on the other foot.
Posted by Ed Murray at 11:48 AM
What a Suprise !
Posted by DB at 11:38 AM
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Tax and Spend Republicans
2/19/2012
Link To This Comment
It makes me laugh when I hear the Tax and spend Republicans of this county cry about needing the Tax money.
No we have not had a millage rate increase because the value of our houses have not fallen like other counties have.
Let it and the Tax and Spend Republicans of this county will rest assured raise taxes.
Live within your means!!!
Posted by Ken at 12:11 AM