OPINION: Stand firm on T-SPLOST projects
If voters approve a new sales tax in 2012, the Northeast Georgia region will have $1.2 billion to spend on transportation projects (T-SPLOST).
That’s a lot of money and a lot of potential for abuse, insider dealing and massive government waste.
The key decision related to that effort will be to decide what projects that money will fund. Leading the new Northeast Georgia Regional Transportation Roundtable that will oversee the project selection is Jackson County Board of Commissioners chairman Hunter Bicknell.
That should give Jackson County a strong seat at the money table, but we’re still not convinced this tax has any merit.
For one thing, the state is pointing a fiscal gun to the heads of voters. If voters reject adding a new sales tax in the region, the state will mandate increased county funding for state road projects.
Of course, Jackson County public officials want the new sales tax because it would bring in additional dollars for road projects; and Jackson County does have some legitimate transportation needs.
But with Athens-Clarke as the largest player in the region, there is a concern over that one community dominating both the decision-making and the funding.
Unfortunately, the liberal politics of Athens-Clarke will no doubt seek funding for a variety of “green” projects that will do little to solve the area’s real needs, which are mostly roads.
The other counties in the region will have to stand firm to insure that the final proposal includes fair funding outside of the Athens-Clarke bubble. While Athens-Clarke should certainly get a share of the funding pie, that community should not be allowed to suck all the money away on frivolous projects for a county that is geographically small compared to the surrounding area.
The key decision related to that effort will be to decide what projects that money will fund. Leading the new Northeast Georgia Regional Transportation Roundtable that will oversee the project selection is Jackson County Board of Commissioners chairman Hunter Bicknell.
That should give Jackson County a strong seat at the money table, but we’re still not convinced this tax has any merit.
For one thing, the state is pointing a fiscal gun to the heads of voters. If voters reject adding a new sales tax in the region, the state will mandate increased county funding for state road projects.
Of course, Jackson County public officials want the new sales tax because it would bring in additional dollars for road projects; and Jackson County does have some legitimate transportation needs.
But with Athens-Clarke as the largest player in the region, there is a concern over that one community dominating both the decision-making and the funding.
Unfortunately, the liberal politics of Athens-Clarke will no doubt seek funding for a variety of “green” projects that will do little to solve the area’s real needs, which are mostly roads.
The other counties in the region will have to stand firm to insure that the final proposal includes fair funding outside of the Athens-Clarke bubble. While Athens-Clarke should certainly get a share of the funding pie, that community should not be allowed to suck all the money away on frivolous projects for a county that is geographically small compared to the surrounding area.
"The key decision related to that effort will be to decide what projects that money will fund. Leading the new Northeast Georgia Regional Transportation Roundtable that will oversee the project selection is Jackson County Board of Commissioners chairman Hunter Bicknell.
That should give Jackson County a strong seat at the money table, but we’re still not convinced this tax has any merit."
Yeah Hunter Bicknell is very good at finding, receiving, acquiring, or however else want to put it.......very good at spending other people's money. So we have a vote on this money but not on the $176,000.00 the commissioners just approved for the old courthouse? Why are will still pumping money into that old courthouse? I bet if you did a survey and asked if $176,000.00 should be spent on the old courthouse that the odds would be the people of Jackson County would say no. Give me a break....a transportation museum??? Why do we need this? We are not know for transportation, we are known for Crawford W. Long. He already has a museum. As for the railroad, there is a train sitting by the Jefferson High school. What a moronic idea.
A tip cup at Mike's Grill?
Shriners standing in the intersection on Saturday mornings?
No wait, I've got it - we institute the FairTax(tm) and the people who actually use the roads can pay for them out of their own pockets!