TSPLOST regions vote (universities, sales tax, average)

[Newsboy]

Why didnt they divy up the vote by Congressional Districts or county by county (a statewide referendum that funds specific projects IN YOUR COMMUNITY)?

TWO WORDS: Metro Atlanta! Some of y'all are just COMPLETELY oblivious to the amount of distrust the rest of the state has for what goes on in Metro Atlanta, and why not?! METRO ATLANTA IS A MESS! There is absolutley no precedent to suggest that this thing, should it pass, is going to produce the results that it promises.

Don't get me wrong; I support the TSPLOST and hope it succeeds, particularly in the coastal region of the state in which I live. But I'm not so foolish enough to recognize that the entire process is incredibly flawed and that there MIGHT be a better way.

Some of you are way to willing to sell your souls to the devil just to see it succeed, and condemn the populace (and our future) if it fails. Who's to say the NEXT proposal won't be perfection? This one most certainly is not!!!!

[Newsboy]

Originally Posted by bellhead

I voted no in the coastal area, as I feel the lions share of the projects will benefit the port of Ga and subsidize them. There is very little in the project for local infrastructure upgrades in our area.

THIS IS FOOLISH! Did you read the local projects list?!

[912]

There is a better way: SPLOST. Look at how your county is misusing funds there & demand accountability!

To fund 20 years of projects in 10 is foolish, not sustainable & holds voters hostage to re-newing the tax in 10 years! Plus, how will these new roads be maintained? You vote YES & this tax will never go away!

[bellhead]

Originally Posted by WanderingImport

Why on earth wouldn't you want any of the projects to benefit the ports? They are the 2nd most important engine in the state of Georgia. It not only GREATLY benefits Savannah's economy, but the southeast's.

Besides that, I think you should take another look at the list of projects for Coastal Georgia. There are more than a few that benefit the region (including Savannah and surrounding areas like Statesboro, Hinesville and Brunswick to name a few) that have nothing to do with the ports.

With the majority of the projects going to benefit the transportation industry I don't feel like we the taxpayers are getting the full benefits of a sales tax increase. I would vote for a increase in the gas tax in a heartbeat as that is a much fairer way to tax those who would benefit. I drive less than 10 miles a day and will eat roughly a $200 to $300 a year increase in taxes. If the gas tax was to increase it would be less. There are projects on there that are long overdue and should have already had money allocated to them from the other splost taxes. I also don't feel I should be subsidizing the local bus service.

Also add in the tire fee which nobody knows where that money is and I don't trust them to use the money right. I vote liberal 90% of the time but I don't feel this tax benefits me.

[WanderingImport]

The transportation industry is at the bottom of a much wider pyramid which includes the consumer way up on the scale. Honestly, this will benefit everyone, but obviously it will immediately affect the construction crews/transportation industry first.
Why don't you feel the taxpayers are getting full benefits off of this? Think about it like this. It won't just be residence of Georgia paying for this, it will also be tourists... and when the money is raised/the goal is met, whether or not it is in 10 years, the collections will stop. Basically which ever comes first.
Like you said, there are projects on the list that are long overdue. If TSPLOST doesn't pass, you'll be waiting that much longer for them to get off the ground.
As far as other SPLOST projects, do you think it would be fair for something like ESPLOST (which is dedicated to educational purposes) to fund transportation projects like road construction?

[WanderingImport]

Originally Posted by 912

There is a better way: SPLOST. Look at how your county is misusing funds there & demand accountability!

To fund 20 years of projects in 10 is foolish, not sustainable & holds voters hostage to re-newing the tax in 10 years! Plus, how will these new roads be maintained? You vote YES & this tax will never go away!

TSPLOST is a statewide tax (depending on which regions decide to pass it) and cannot be messed with by county government.

I would think funding "20 years of projects in 10" is the opposite of unsustainable. A lot of these projects are way overdue. If anything, it will get the economic engine moving along at a faster rate.

Finally, voting yes doesn't guarantee that TSPLOST will be voted yes on again in the next 10 years.

[bellhead]

Originally Posted by 912

There is a better way: SPLOST. Look at how your county is misusing funds there & demand accountability!

To fund 20 years of projects in 10 is foolish, not sustainable & holds voters hostage to re-newing the tax in 10 years! Plus, how will these new roads be maintained? You vote YES & this tax will never go away!

That's the other white elephant in the room, with a 7.5 cent gas tax lowest in the country how are we going to maintain the roads.

Also at a 8% sales tax, high property taxes I pay over 4k a year, and a income tax, Ga. is looking more like New Jersey every day.

[AcworthResident]

I live in Acworth (NW Georgia) my spouse and I are voting no

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by bellhead

That's the other white elephant in the room, with a 7.5 cent gas tax lowest in the country how are we going to maintain the roads.

Also at a 8% sales tax, high property taxes I pay over 4k a year, and a income tax, Ga. is looking more like New Jersey every day.

We actually pay a lot more per gallon in taxes than 7.5 cents, but the rest is an "excise tax", and I'm not sure where that money goes. As usual, Georgia seems to do things a little differently than much of the country. That isn't always a bad thing, but...

[PKCorey]

Originally Posted by rcsteiner

We actually pay a lot more per gallon in taxes than 7.5 cents, but the rest is an "excise tax", and I'm not sure where that money goes. As usual, Georgia seems to do things a little differently than much of the country. That isn't always a bad thing, but...

A long read but explains where all the different taxes go in the state

http://www.cviog.uga.edu/free-downlo...e-fuel-tax.pdf