LETTER TO THE EDITOR, An Opinion by Joe Webb

Opinion

LETTER TO THE EDITOR
June 27, 2012

The News Observer editorial for June 26, 2012 made an incorrect statement as to the application of the 1% T-SPLOST Sales Tax….. “adding a one cent tax to every gallon of gas sold”. T-SPLOST is like our other SPLOSTs (County & Board of Education) the T-SPLOST will be 1% on most sales, not just gas. T-SPLOST is a one cent per dollar spent sales tax on gas, lumber, cement, tools, etc. The editorial statement “simple math says the county would be forced to do at least 20 percent less paving each year.” This is a statement without context and is conjecture. Even “simple math” must have correct mathematical numbers. The News Observer should publish factual business math and narratives on T-SPOST prior to editorializing.
The News Observer editorial for June 26, 2012 made an incorrect statement as to the application of the 1% T-SPLOST Sales Tax….. “adding a one cent tax to every gallon of gas sold”. T-SPLOST is like our other SPLOSTs (County & Board of Education) the T-SPLOST will be 1% on most sales, not just gas. T-SPLOST is a one cent per dollar spent sales tax on gas, lumber, cement, tools, etc. The editorial statement “simple math says the county would be forced to do at least 20 percent less paving each year.” This is a statement without context and is conjecture. Even “simple math” must have correct mathematical numbers. The News Observer should publish factual business math and narratives on T-SPOST prior to editorializing.

At the Political Forum hosted by The Chamber of Commerce and its Government Affairs Committee, the candidates for both Chairman and Post 1 Fannin County Commission were asked their position on T-SPLOST. A few candidates misstated facts on the allocations; others said they need to study the subject. Here again there was neither context given nor correction of misinformation.
At the Tuesday, June 26, 2012 Fannin County Commission meeting, I asked the Commissioners to provide more public information on the T-SPLOST. A FACT SHEET WOULD BE HELPFUL. A PUBLIC WORKSHOP WOULD BE HELPFUL. The Public must be informed to be able to vote intelligently.

Specifically, the public should be informed of the following:
1. A statement of current and past few years state transportation contribution to Fannin County and required Fannin County Match both in $ and as a %.
2. Will these same monies be forthcoming from the state if the T-SPLOST passes or not?
How much state money will be matched if passed? If not passed?
3. Our region is voting on 25% Local Transportation Projects. This money will be distributed within the Region based on center line mileage (80%) and population (20%). ((Current LARP formula.))
What are Fannin County and our cities proportionate share of the regional 25% fund? This is $10,000,000 over ten years – do we get more or less back than we put in?
4. The 25% Local Transportation Project Fund by law can be used for anything from filling pot holes to building roads. Our governments need to present a project list of major plans.

The News Observer and The Fannin County Commission owe the public more homework and better facts.

Sincerely,
Joe Webb
Republican Candidate
Fannin County Commission Post 1
Let’s Talk 706-838-4575

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