Ding Dong the TSPLOST is Dead (For Now)

Untie Atlanta all Tied Up

Great story in the paper today with all the bureaucrats whining about the funding they “lost” with the landslide defeat of the TSPLOST in the July 31, 2012 primary.  Like all good bureaucrats, every pothole they failed to repair using money already budgeted for the purpose will be blamed on you, the taxpayer and voter, for voting down the TSPLOST.  Remember that bureaucrats will try to punish the public by withdrawing necessary services under the guise of “no budget” when they don’t get the tax increases they want.  In reality, they can always find the money for things they want, but often not the things you already paid for.  We have seen it all before.  A great example is the “Bridge to Brads” crossing Jesse Jewell in Gainesville and the expansion of the parking garage for the Georgia Mountains Center whey they already planned on “selling” the building to Brenau University.  These boondoggles wasted of millions of tax dollars for no real benefit for you.  (And yes “federal money” is just another word for your federal tax dollars so don’t be fooled by the bureaucratic rhetoric.)

During the TSPLOST debate leading to its most awesome defeat, I created a FaceBook page to denounce the anti-Republican, tax-n-spend boondoggle.  (Because of FaceBook rules when I set it up, you might not be able to read it.)   Due to technical reasons, I did not cross post those thoughts on this page as well.  I am putting this scanty comment here now as a placeholder for the more in-depth criticism of the largest tax increase in Georgia history, using posts from myself and others originally posted on FaceBook.  I also hope to do some follow up to review the “penalties” placed in the enabling legislation passed by the Georgia Legislature (which Doug Collins has recently said will be removed this next session in January 2013), and perhaps an “after action” report to remind you about all those that supported the tax to the bitter end.  I will have to do this to counter the barrage of government propaganda that will no doubt accompany the story of every tragic accident until the bureaucrats can come up with Plan B.  However, watch out because Plan B will probably be proposing another TSPLOST in the 2014 session.  The politicians will try to be clever in supporting the TSPLOST without getting any on their hands that could be used in their next reelection bid.  However, we won’t be fooled.  Stay tuned.