— How much difference does a penny make? After all, it’s just a penny (the T-SPLOST, that is)!  We have three local option taxes now. This one could make the fourth. 

Where was the “outrage” on the part of Lloyd Eckberg and others in November when we were voting on the E-SPLOST and in March when the “forever” SPLOST was on the ballot?

SPLOST’s are created equal. They’re all a  penny;  the general purpose LOST,  E-SPLOST or the county commission SPLOST…  no more, no less — a penny. The big difference is the T-SPLOST will last for 10 years and for most of that time will not be entirely spent in Thomas County. With the exception of the local projects, most of the money we pay on this tax will be spent elsewhere in southwest Georgia.

Who’s responsible for this travesty? The legislation was written by a politician in Atlanta while Republican Sonny Perdue was governor but wasn’t signed into law until Republican Nathan Deal became governor. The Republican executive and legislative branches in Georgia have taken the “Transportation Investment Act of 2010” and created a law that’s going to cost southwest Georgians half a billion dollars over the next 10 years.

Can Thomas County voters prevent this? Not likely. We vote with 13 other counties, some with a lot more to gain from this tax passing than we have. Some have been openly discussing and promoting this for more than a year. Our region has three times as many projects on the list as we can pay for in 10 years. What do you think will happen when this tax expires?

Responding to some of Mr. Eckbergs concerns.

It’s not likely the Georgia Supreme Court will become involved. It’s a Republican administration in Atlanta and a conservative-based Supreme Court.

Google-search "Georgia HB 277 Transportation Funding" for details. Space here does not allow me to provide many details.

The “bureaucratic layer” was begun almost two years ago. Refer to the Southwest Georgia Regional Commission Office in Camilla website. You’ll find a lot of information there about what’s going to happen and how and when.

The state has, in “…clear and in no uncertain terms,” told how, where and when the money will be used.  It’s been out there for a long time.

It’s past time for “…some dialogue on the T-SPLOST referendum”.We should have been talking about this more than six months ago. People here were more concerned with passing a local SPLOST and E-SPLOST than defeating a state T-SPLOST. Now we’re probably going to wind up with all of them.

Join me once again in July voting against another unnecessary sales tax.

Congratulations to the “tax and spend” Republicans. You got what you asked for.



Edward Marshall

Boston