Al
Gray Remarks to Lincoln Co. Commissioners
6/14/2012
Chairman
Johnson and Gentlemen of the Commission, thank you for allowing me to
speak tonight. I have come to sound a warning about the proposed new
1% Transportation sales tax that comes before voters July 31st.
Frankly, in all the years following public policy I have never seen
anything this shameful.
The
greater shame is on this county's legislators – Bill Jackson, Lee
Anderson, and Tom McCall for springing forth such an assault upon the
people of this county. The bill that gave rise to this abomination
was called the Transportation Investment Act. This bill set up a
regional transportation roundtable for 13 counties, including Lincoln
County. While it is true all had input, the law set up an executive
committee of 5 to have the final vote for the 13 counties. They set
it up so that Lincoln County is forced to be in this whole new level
of regional government, whether we vote to pass or fail, so that our
votes are diminished. This is taxation without representation. Worst
of all they committed EXTORTION against us all, by denying state
funds if we say “No!” Beyond this, this is a 14.2% tax increase
that they swore to never vote for. Nor were any options even offered,
like dedicating the 1% to our county.
Yes
the shame is upon them and tonight I come to ask you to stop
embracing this nonsense lest you bring greater shame on yourselves
and the Chamber of Commerce, a group that risks its reputation by
hawking this tax.
Politicians
and Chamber representatives have been going around the CSRA saying
this tax will raise $841 million under a base case. This is a LIE and
the Promoters' own data shows that. Here is a chart showing the base
case. It is built on wild income growth numbers – 8% next year –
that are a fantasy. The real numbers knock holes in these
projections!
Will we get only $650 million? Sales tax revenues are
WAYYYYYYY down as the blue charts show over the last 5 years. Can we
pretend our way back to prosperity?
Gentlemen
YOU HAVE BEEN HOODWINKED!!!!!!! What these real revenue numbers show
is that area wide, revenues will probably only cover $500 million to
$540 million of the investment list projects! This will mean that the
ones in the last years of this deal won't be funded. Incredibly $6.6
million of the $7.7 million of Lincoln's projects are to be built in
these final years.
Source: Constrained List Spreadsheet from CSRA Regional Commission
The numbers say these projects will lack funding.
You have been deceived and now are being asked to foist this
deception upon the people of Lincoln County.
Beyond
that, this is a terrible 14.2% increase in the sales tax. Frugal
folks just cannot stand such an increase in any cost, for a 14.2%
increase doubles living costs in 5 years. For this? This comes on top
of a 23% sewer rate increase and several double-digit school tax
increases. Look around! Who can afford that?
These
deceivers have managed you get some of you excited over Lincoln
County getting $722,000 a year in new discretionary funds. Well,
based upon the data above this looks to be far less. This money is
only coming to us because this scam makes Richmond and Columbia
counties give up $7 million to bribe us into this wicked partnership
with them. How is that right? A 1% new tax dedicated to Lincoln
County would raise more revenue. Why are you excited about the same
money or less with strings attached? Why are you willing to destroy
your credibility for this?
Gov.
Sonny Perdue said that DOT committed ENRON ACCOUNTING when it lost
control of highway funds 4 years ago. Now they are all excited about
getting their hands on this money. They want us to bail them out.
Mark
Twain once said there were three kinds of lies....Lies....Damned lies
and statistics........now we can add a fourth lie – Tsplost.
My
warning is this. Don't go forth using these phony numbers after
tonight. You know better and the people now know better.
Just
vote no on T-splost. It is the only honorable thing to do.
For
more reality based information on what Tsplost really is all about
visit CityStink.net online.
