This July 31st Fayette County, along with all Georgia voters will head to the polls to vote on a proposed regional transportation sales tax. Politicians from both major political parties are salivating at the idea of yet another funding source for their Soviet-style centralized planning schemes.
And it seems that the upcoming transportation tax vote has one benefit — exposing the big government, pro-tax RINOs in our midst.
While campaigning this past weekend, Lee Hearn passed out campaign cards. The back of the card reads:
“Lee’s Priorities Continue to Be
“Manage Our Tax Dollars Wisely
“Support Our Sheriff to Fight Crime
“Support Our Municipal Partners
“Support Smart Growth
“Support Transportation Improvements”
Commissioner Hearn’s card says it all.
Commissioner Hearn’s priorities are to continue with business as usual, wasting the citizens’ tax dollars.
He says, “Manage Our Tax Dollars Wisely.” By using the word “our” Commissioner Hearn is leaving the citizens out as he always does. It is the citizens’ tax dollars.
Commissioner Hearn voted to raise the tax rate last year even while the citizens are having a hard time financially. He voted to impose a stormwater fee on all the citizens, businesses and churches in Fayette County. Is he asking to be re-elected so he can continue this behavior?
Commissioner Hearn states, “Support Smart Growth.” Correct me [but] isn’t that an Agenda 21 term? Mr. Hearn wants to change the face of our county with high density housing and government controlled development of the county. This is apparent by the plans for the West Fayetteville Neighborhood.
“Support Transportation Improvements.” Again this sounds like an Agenda 21. Also note, he uses “transportation” not road improvements or traffic improvement. I guess Mr. Hearn wants transit in Fayette County. He supports the TSPLOST transportation referendum.
Here are some questions you may want to ask:
1. The TSPLOST projects list has some ultra-expensive projects that are only partially funded. Does the region plan to build a quarter of these projects and leave them unfinished and useless? Or, if the region plans to complete these projects, how will they be paid for without coming back to taxpayers for even larger future tax increases?
2. Some of these projects will require large future operating and maintenance costs with no identified long-term future funding source to pay for these expenses. How can these expenses be paid without additional large future tax increases?
3. The pro-TSPLOST people keep trying to scare people into voting for the TSPLOST by saying that there is no “Plan B,” but the TIA legislation provides that if any region votes against the tax, the region can then put together a better projects list and bring it back to the voters in two years. Isn’t that a Plan B?
We need to vote NO on the transportation tax on July 31st and hold our public servants accountable to their actions while in office.
Get the truth out about this tax: www.traffictruth.net/TrafficTruth_TSPLOST_Fact_Sheet_22April12.pdf.
P.S. Special interest groups are literally spending MILLIONS of dollars on advertising in an effort to dupe citizens into voting for this tax.
Randy C. Ognio
Candidate for Commissioner Post 3
Fayetteville, Ga.
