Mixed feelings on the SPLOST? Hmmm....

I attended the city / county SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax) meeting Monday night, filmed it, posted it on the Fayette Front Page, wrote a short synopsis... and have continued to mull over the issue off and on as I edited and typed.

The County Commission and City Mayors are in agreement that they will be asking voters to approve a six-year extension of a one-cent sales tax on November 3rd. Currently we are adding two cents on each dollar spent in the county for the SPLOST in question and a fairly recently approved school SPLOST. The SPLOST the Commission and Mayors are asking us to extend is scheduled to expire March 31st 2010.

The County is proposing that their portion of the tax dollars collected be used in four areas:
1. Justice Center Acquisition, $50 million
2. Emergency OPS Center, $2 million
3. University Campus, $5 million
4. Transportation, $15 million

I'm not really sure yet how I'll vote, but I'd say I'm probably leaning toward a no vote. I'm sure many will vote yes. I've talked to maybe ten to 15 people since the meeting ended Monday night and, if their current voting choices are any indication, thus far it looks like it's a toss up as to which way the wind will blow on November 3rd. Of course, a chunk of those I talk with are in elected office, so that kind of skewed my random sampling!

Here's some of my thought process on the County's proposed project list and the SPLOST in general:

In part I think it's OK that the Commissioners are willing to hold out a carrot in front of our noses by saying they'd "seriously consider" and "would propose" doubling the homestead exemption if the SPLOST renewal is approved.

It would help offset some of the additional 1 cent tax we'd pay throughout the year when shopping in the county if they ultimately decide to give us that break.

Unfortunately, even if they consider, propose and decide to give us the carrot, it would have to be an annual vote since the current Commissioners can't obligate future Boards. I can pretty much bet that we won't get to chomp on that particular carrot every year during the 6-year SPLOST term. After all, who knows which way the economy will go, what will change and what future Board members will think about the idea?

While I'll definitely be happy to take advantage of the double homestead exemption if the SPLOST passes, and if the Commission chooses to give us back some of our tax dollars, I still think I'd rather pay less when I shop.

The idea of paying down the debt on the Justice Center isn't something that gets me all excited.

I see the point in paying it off. I really do. I'm all for eliminating the roughly $3.7 million annual payment for the Center. But am I willing to shell out an extra penny on every dollar I spend for the next five to six years so they can do it now? Especially when I'm doing double-duty trying to conserve every penny I can to adjust for the current economic problems?

I wonder what the Commission will do with the $3.7 million savings they'd realize... Once we buy the Center for $50 million the county will then have those additional funds to spend. They're going to "seriously consider" giving some of our tax dollars back to us in the form of the double homestead exemption, but what about the rest of the money?

I'm sure those extra dollars are needed by the county, especially in this economy. I don't have a problem with adding money to the County coffers. I'm just curious as to whether there's a specific plan for those additional dollars. And given a choice between having my tax dollars sitting in the county's coffers and in my bank account... no brainer.

Another thought on paying off the bond / lease for the Justice Center: $3.7 million in today's dollars versus a one-time current dollar value payment of $50 million is one thing. But $3.7 million five years, ten years, etc. from now could equate to a payment of $1 million in later-year dollar value. I am horrible, absolutely horrible, when it comes to math and devaluing money and all that mess so that might not even be something to take into consideration when making a decision as to the justification for paying an additional penny on the dollar for the next six years to buy the Center. Commissioner Smith is an accountant so I have to assume that he's taken that all into consideration.

I look at paying off the Justice Center the same way I'd look at paying off my house. There are a lot of variables and it's something I'd have to look at from a lot of angles.

I don't see the need for the Emergency Operations Center but in the scheme of things the $2 million they say that's need to build it is a pittance. It's not a show-stopper for me though given the other items the County has on their project list. If it were the only thing, it'd be a definite no.

I see absolutely no need to put money into buying up land or doing whatever it is the County proposes to do with the $5 million they've allocated in SPLOST dollars to entice a university or technical college to move to Fayette County.

I hope that someday we will have a college campus with a thriving student base in the county. However, I'm not interested in using tax dollars to entice a college to set up a campus within county lines to attract more industry to the county, which is the reason Smith gave for wanting to have a college in the county.

If it's true that companies aren't moving to the county because we don't have a college that's fine with me. I'm one of those put a moat around the county and pull up the drawbridge types. I don't want to be like other counties. I want to be Fayette, the jewel in the midst of crowded, industry heavy Atlanta metro counties.

I could be wrong, I have nothing to base my feelings on other than, well, feelings, but I really can't see a company deciding not to come to Fayette because we don't have a college campus inside the defined boundaries of the county. There are lots of colleges within easy driving distance.

Again, great to have a campus and I know it's something the business community is itching to have happen, but it's just not something that makes me want to open my already-squeaking wallet a bit further.

Transportation and road construction IS something I'd have been willing to spend an extra penny on in times past. However, after watching what the County Commission has done with the so-called "West Bypass", and with what they've done to homes in the Sandy Creek area, and the dollars we've entrusted them with over the past few years, I don't think I want to give them more money to tear up the county. New Commission, maybe I'd reconsider.

Well, this is interesting. I started writing with the idea that I wasn't really settled on whether I'd be voting yeah or nay regarding the SPLOST. But as I put my thoughts into words for this blog, I realized I don't see any good reason to vote yes.

OK, there's one that might make me punch yes if I lived in one of the cities (which I don't)... The cities appear to be willing to spend the vast majority of their dollar allocations on transportation projects such as resurfacing roads, fixing bad intersections, etc. If I lived in Peachtree City, Fayetteville or Tyrone I might, just might, vote yes.

In fact, I think the fact that the cities are going to focus on transportation needs might entice voters in their respective jurisdictions to vote yes. If the majority of voters in each of the cities vote yes that will probably mean an overall yes for the 6-year tax renewal.

Personally, I think Commissioner Smith may be wrong when he says it's harder to renew a transportation SPLOST than one project laden (to paraphrase his comments at the SPLOST meeting). I think improving roads, making it easier to travel from point A to B, and similar projects are what voters are willing to pay for... unless there's some sexy, compelling project that voters see an overwhelming need to complete.

But hey, this is a blog, there's nothing scientific about it and I haven't gone out and done the research... who knows, maybe everyone will jump to continue paying an additional tax to buy the Justice Center, build an Emergency OPS Center or plunk a college into our midst.

Another thing that may help pass the SPLOST is the passivity of Fayette County voters. There were only 3 - 5 people at the SPLOST meeting who weren't reporters, elected officials or county employees. There just doesn't seem to be a whole lot of involvement from the general population, which may make it easier to sell them on one aspect of the SPLOST or paint a pretty picture that leads 'em to touch yes instead of no.

Unless the project list changes (and it could change as what we saw Monday evening was just a proposal) I'm voting no. I bet that doesn't surprise most of my readers!

West Fayetteville Bypass Blues

Last Thursday the County Commission approved the West Fayetteville “Bypass”. It was a unanimous vote, 5-0.

[Just a tidbit in case you’re wondering --- the West Fayetteville Bypass (WFB) is not a Bypass. It’s just a road. At some point someone called it a Bypass and the name stuck. It’s not intended to bypass anything.]

It was a foregone conclusion that they were going to approve it, but not for the reasons stated in their various explanations as they voted. I know I have a tendency to be a bit skeptical about the motivation of the Commissioners, but last Thursday’s gnashing of teeth and sackcloth lamenting about being forced to vote for the By-pass was sublime theater.

A few of the Commissioners intimated that their hands were tied... There was a SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax), which the voters barely passed in 2003, that included the project thus they had to move forward… Those nasty Commissioners before them forced them into this tough position...

Not so.

They do not HAVE to do all the projects in the SPLOST.

The SPLOST the Fayette County voters approved is a five-year SPLOST which can raise up to $115 million. The money collected MUST be used on the projects on the list. They cannot take any of the money and use it to fix or build a road that wasn’t listed in the SPLOST. They can’t build a library or park instead, either.

As said, they don’t have to do every project in the list. In fact, there’s no way they COULD do all the projects on the list as $115 won’t cover the costs.

The Commissioners have to prioritize.

The so-called WFB wasn’t a priority until sometime in the last two years. In fact, the number one priority was the East Fayetteville Bypass which, to the best of my knowledge, is now languishing.

The current Board moved the WFB up from somewhere down the list. If they hadn’t moved it up, chances are many of the folks on Lee Road who are so rightfully upset about losing their property or having a road right out their bedroom window would be long gone from Fayette County before it had made it to the top of the list.

When the voters said yes to the transportation SPLOST the WFB was included, but a specific route was not designated. The engineering, environmental studies, surveying to determine the route are all expenses that must wait until the money from the SPLOST is available.

Many SPLOST projects for roads are adjusted, changed in scope or even dropped completely after all the costs, including public input, are analyzed.

Completing Phase 1 of the Bypass, which is the area around the hospital, was the only part scheduled for completion until the current Board got their hooks into things. That phase alone would use up the majority of the dollars allocated in the SPLOST.

Bottom line – if our Commissioners are voting to proceed with the WFB it is because they WANT to build the road, not because they’re being forced to build it.

NOW for a bit of speculation, observation and conjecture. All mine.

I noticed at least two developers and one developer’s representative in the crowd at the Commission meeting Thursday night who didn’t have any requests on the agenda. They stayed through the WFB vote.

I believe the two Commissioners who said none of the people who contributed to their campaign had property along the newly proposed WFB route. If I remember correctly, the other three didn’t pipe up and say anything, not sure if that means they received contributions or just figured they didn’t want to join in. To my way of thinking, having a contribution from a developer along the route would be horrific given the change in SPLOST priorities. Especially since many agree that there are other projects on the list that should be given higher status.

Campaign contributions or not, that doesn’t mean that developers aren’t interested and that they won’t benefit from the WFB. It also doesn’t mean that the Commissioners are or aren’t developer friendly. I don’t know the Commissioners motivation or rationale. Based on what I’ve seen and heard, they’re not doing a very good job of coming up with real good reasons for changing the priorities and pushing so hard on the WFB.

I also wanted to toss out a thought about the possibility of someday seeing an Industrial Park somewhere along this route. Commissioner Jack Smith has tried to get this one going since being put on the Board, and prior to being elected when he sat on the Fayette County Development Authority.

It’s pretty much died on the vine mainly or partially because there aren’t any good truck routes coming into the county aside from the already congested Hwy. 74.

Guess what’s going to change when the WFB is completed? Yup, a very nice route for trucks and commercial traffic to get to a brand spankin’ new County industrial park. I’m going to go back and dig through the recordings I made of the meetings were the proposed locations were discussed to see if anything in that area was mentioned. It won’t mean anything if it wasn’t --- I’ve been told (but haven’t verified for myself) there are some huge parcels of land owned by developers along the route. I’d guess at least one would make a nice industrial park.

After all is said and done, there are still going to be many road projects that need to be addressed in Fayette County. In today’s world, about the only way to afford to fix roads is to have outside-the-county governmental monetary assistance and to have a mechanism for raising money like a SPLOST.

When the money from this SPLOST runs out you’re going to see another pop up for a vote on a ballot. Whether it passes or not is likely to depend in part on how those who’re asking for the dollars have spent the current SPLOST dollars. Here’s another bit of speculation – I’d bet the voters will see some sort of civic or multi-use arts center included in the next SPLOST. That’s going to open up a whole new can of worms.

People have a tendency to wait until something is right on their back doorstep before they get involved or start paying attention. I hope that doesn’t hold true in this county. I hope that people will take the time to watch, complain, encourage and vote. Get involved. Keep up with what’s going on. Don’t wait until a 4-lane bypass is routed through your back yard.

Fayette County, GA schools in the news...

Fox News, CNN and other local news stations have picked up our local school system woes and made them national.

The School Board has asked the County Commission to re-bill property taxes at a higher rate. If that weren't bad enough, they're also asking teachers to give back their 2.5% pay raise awarded last Spring. This on top of a new school SPLOST that's going to increase the cost of purchases in the county by 1%.

I'll have to say I'm smack in the middle on this one, waffling back and forth.

I know a lot of the people on the School Board and in the Superintendent's office. I think they genuinely care about our kids and the quality of our schools. I have been at some of the meetings where they talked about budget needs, how to cut back and the requirements they have to meet.

They're in a tough position. There are State mandates they have to follow, yet the State has been cutting back on school funding. Parents in this county have high expectations regarding the opportunities for students, class sizes, and the "extras" provided as a norm in our county.

However, I also think decisions have been made by the School Board that were wasteful. I won't go into a litany of things I think were unnecessary and wasteful. I'm sure you can all point to extravagances as well as erroneous decision making.

I believe that many decisions were made with the idea that times would always be good, that growth would continue and the money would keep rolling in. Forward-planning is a difficult thing and many in office only look at today (although they'll all say they ARE looking down the road). That's an area where politics comes into play. Sometimes making tough decisions for today will mean losing an election or make you highly unpopular. Most succumb and work to make their voting public happy. When the money stops flowing and times get tough, whoever is in office or in the job catches the flack.

I also think that as stewards of our tax dollars there is an obligation inherent in the "job" of our elected politicians to do worst-case planning. When I'm making long-term plans I don't expect things will always be flush. I try to be frugal with my dollars and I expect our elected officials to do the same.

However, I understand that the School Board and Superintendent did have a reserve for bad times. It's gone. I am not privy, nor are all of those writing and trashing the Board, to the details (although they're public and we could get them). When I ask the questions at meetings I get answers that lead me to believe they've been working hard trying to avoid the situation we're in now.

The Board has a tough job. If they start cutting back on those extras, like class sizes, nurses in the schools, etc., when times seem to be good, then the parents are up in arms. Over the years while things have been booming in this county we've added this little extra here, that extra there, and now we scream when they're taken away. We don't really allow the school system to do make changes or cuts when they look down the road and see bad times coming. We don't want to believe them when they're yelling that the sky may be starting to fall.

I can point fingers and I can be up in arms about what is happening now, but I don't have all the facts. I haven't dug through the books. I'm not the one receiving mandates from the State and Feds without funding.

I'm like the rest of you, I just want them to fix it without having to pay any more.

If I were a school teacher and the Board asked me to give back my 2.5% raise during these tough economic times, I'd say no way. It would be an emphatic "no way".

I'm going to scream bloody murder if they try to come back on us for more money on our houses, too.

We're all struggling. The cost of goods is rising and we're getting ready to pay an additional tax to fund the schools. People are losing jobs. Bonuses aren't being given. Everyone is cutting back.

I don't know where the school system can cut, but I think they're going to have to take severe measures within the system. We can't pay any more.

NOTE: If you have ideas on where the school system can make cuts, send us a note! We'll post your thoughts on the Fayette Front Page for all to see. Include your name if you'd like, but it's not necessary. We will not include inflammatory comments or attacks.

School Board SPLOST and Aquatic Facility

Last night the School Board met to discuss the possibility of asking voters to agree to a once-cent tax hike to pay for what appears to be much-needed improvements and items for our students.

I listened as various department heads and staff explained each of the items listed on the proposal.

I understand the need. The state has some pretty stiff requirements on where the money they send to the county is spent. Unfortunately, they don’t fund quite a number of things that make our schools shine and the School Board has to figure out a way to get that money. According to the handout at the meeting, in the last several yeas the state has reduced funding by approximately $21 million. That’s a lot of money.

To add to their dollar woes, property values (and thus tax collections) are down and gas and food prices are continuing to increase.

I see the need for a SPLOST if we’re going to keep our schools the best in the state. I’m not entirely sold yet as I’m never in favor of raising taxes.

However, when I saw that included in this list of dire need items was an aquatic facility I did a double take.

The long laundry list of items included putting new roofs on schools that hadn’t seen new roof tile in over 20 years. Computers and updating software that in some cases was 8 or more years old. Buying buses that should have been bought last year but funds weren’t available. Security cameras for the older schools to protect our kids.

And an aquatic center?

Sorry, lost my vote if that stays on the list. They’re estimating up to ten million dollars to build an aquatic center. They want to partner with the County Recreation Department or possibly the YMCA.

In these times where we’re all wondering if we’re going to be able to afford to pay for our next tank of gas we’re looking at building a multi-million dollar swim center? I’d have a hard time swallowing that one in the best of times.

Per Dr. DeCotis, Peachtree City is having some funding issues and may not be able to put the bubble on the Kedron pool. The annual cost for putting up the bubble (so the pool can be used in the winter I assume) is roughly $300,000. Peachtree City currently charges a fee per use of the pool. They are considering getting the School Board, and others who may use the pool, to help fund putting up the bubble. Ten million dollars can pay for a lot of pool use in Peachtree City for years to come and help the city, too.

Our swim team students also travel to Clayton County to use their aquatic center. The cost is time, bus use and gasoline plus the fees charged by the county.

I understand that SPLOST money probably can’t be used to pay for gas to travel to Clayton County or for swimming fees in Peachtree City. However, last night they talked numerous times about swapping money around. If the SPLOST paid for this item then they could reduce the M&O by this much. They can fund something else that’s needed using the SPLOST and find the money to pay for the swim team to practice at Kedron.

They WANT an aquatic center. The YMCA WANTS an aquatic center. Some of the County Commissioners WANT an aquatic center.

It’s not a need, it’s a want.

Having the aquatic center on the list of what sounded like dire “needs” for the school system diminished the entire list. The discussion’s last night made it sounds like they’re probably going to pull it off the list. I hope so.