22 November 2016

[tPc] - A Moment From Us: It's Time for a Real Discussion about SPLOST

The Piedmont Chronicles   
~ est. 2010 ~
[State of GA]
[Newton Co.]




(North C-town * 11.22.16) -

Per multiple news reports, we now know that the 2017 Newton Co. SPLOST list has been approved by that primary political subdivision's board.

Egad!

&

Selah

Well, friends, it's definitely a damn sordid state of affairs. With that said, I'd like to take a moment to tip my hat to Baxter Bouchillon - a very good man - who was tasked with heading up a 24-person committee to perform the task of whittling down a list of absolute shit to a more manageable list of basic shit. Well done. We saw an awe-inspiring (not in a good way) and rage-inducing list of of $91 million reduced to a mere $51 million.

It's still crap, though!

I just love the tone-deafness and the whole denying of reality that the powers-that-be continue to exhibit. News flash, people, Marcello Banes just got elected Chairman of the Board! Get the memo already. Jeesh...

And this abomination that passed 4-1 by the BOC includes the following:

- $500K for "District 4 park upgrades"
- $1.35 million for the Yellow River Trail
- A cool one million to the office of Economic Development

Y'all want me to go on?

Just based on the historical data, these people should know that there's no chance in hell for this thing to pass. With each SPLOST over the last couple of decades, the vote total to pass has continued to decrease. The last one should have been the canary in the coalmine, but people - these people don't put much stock in things like reality and reading the tea leaves...

I'll tip my hat on the fact that they did try to throw a very small bone with $10.5 million for debt reduction; a very needed $1.2 million to the red-headed stepchild of Newton Co., Animal Control, and also the $500K to the other one - the Library.

Unfortunately, though, it won't be near enough, as next year's SPLOST will be voted DOWN. As well it damn should be!

And don't buy the BS they'll be trying to sell you after the first of the year. Please. Our taxes won't go up. We'll just have to do a special election down the road to pass a SPLOST that's actually worth a shit!

It's time we get it together, Newton County. It's far past time.

Kindly,

M.B. McCart