Barrow voters approve SPLOST renewal

Posted by

in Top Stories & Breaking News

Wednesday, March 16. 2011

Comments (29)

In a vote with high stakes for local governments but low voter turnout, the few Barrow County residents who did take the time to go to the polls today gave overwhelming support to the six-year renewal of the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax.

Only 3.5 percent of the county's 34,598 registered voters participated in the single-issue special election. They voted by a margin of 4:1 to extend the 1-percent local-government sales tax from July 1, 2012-June 30, 2018.

With the "Yes" votes outnumbering the "No" votes at all 16 of the county's polling places, the countywide vote was 959 (80.12%) to 238 (19.88%). Four provisional ballots also were cast, but the Barrow County Board of Elections and Registration will not decide until Friday whether to allow them to be included in the final tally.

Barrow County commission chairman Danny Yearwood sat with a Barrow Journal reporter throughout the vote count Tuesday night.

When the tally was complete, he grinned broadly and said, "I'm just happy for the citizens."

The $50-60 million in sales tax collections over six years will be used by the county government primarily to continue retiring old capital debt at a clip of $6 million per year.

The cities and towns in Barrow County will use the revenue to pay for a wide range of road, water, sewer and park improvements.

Barrow County Elections Supervisor Katie Ferm, who spent most of the day traveling to the county’s 16 polling places, was disappointed by the low turnout but said it was not the lowest on record.

For more on the election, pick up a March 16 copy of the Barrow Journal.

Defined tags for this entry: Barrow, election, SPLOST, Top Stories

Related entries by tags:

Trackbacks

Trackback specific URI for this entry

No Trackbacks

Comments

Display comments as (Linear | Threaded)

#1 bubble gum on 03/15/11 at 04:56 PM [Reply]

Just go back to sleep sheeple, continue to consume, have lots of sex and get drunk/stoned/high.Go back to sleep now ,put back on your shades,let Obama take care of you, sleeeep,sleeep.

#2 hopeful on 03/15/11 at 08:56 PM [Reply]

Maybe most of the people who actually did vote today voted in favor of SPLOST!

#3 Victor on 03/15/11 at 09:10 PM [Reply]

It appears that the few that did turn out voted with some common sense...

http://www.barrowga.org/vote/liveresults/

#4 Fortitude on 03/15/11 at 10:04 PM [Reply]

Thank you to all those who understand that this was not a new tax, there will be no difference in what everyone pays in Barrow, but will see some improvements and should hold off any tax increase for a little while.

#4.1 Real Taxpayer on 03/15/11 at 10:12 PM [Reply]

Worth noting that most of the people who POST here opposed the tax. But most of the people who voted did so with common sense. Just saying . . . .

#5 J_B_Moore on 03/16/11 at 03:00 AM [Reply]

SPLOST promotes irresponsibility of elected officials. You are saying it saved tax hikes? Why? Oh, Yeah because officials financed loans to be repaid over decades. Is that responsible? How about when they do need to raise taxes should we have a two cent increase? Why not a nickel its only a nickel? A vote for SPLOST is a vote against accountability. You all conceed that you have no power and are completly useless and unable to have a voice. When they want to raise taxes if SPLOST were denied, you demand they cut spending. They stop paying off terminated employee silence. Just be like "Bubble Gum" posted just be pushed over and pushed aside. Doesanyone remember the peak of the commerce outlets years ago before bad business decisions led to the failure? Same with the thriving Dawsonville outlets. People will drive for miles sometimes across statelines to save alittle money. If you ever shopped at these places you would hve seen you may save a few percent on the items you bought if that. What if Barrow had a sales tax lower than all other surrounding counties? What business would come and relocate here, How many people would drive here to shop? #1 is right people are like sheep if one comes here to shop for the lower tax rate others will follow.

#5.1 John Friendly on 03/16/11 at 09:02 AM [Reply]

You know what I "conceed"? That you are functionally illiterate.

#5.2 shake my head on 03/16/11 at 11:19 AM [Reply]

J_B_Moore you are correct but then again that is common sense. That theory works too well. Instead they would rather just give out probation and fines for the drug dealers and users in town and there you have the additional income needed. Forget protecting the taxpayers as long as they protect the good old boy business owners and keep any business competition out of the area, all is good. Until that changes this is what we are stuck with

#5.3 Red Ryder on 03/16/11 at 07:59 PM [Reply]

Wait a minute here. You telling me that people gonna drive fifty miles to save one cent on a dollar? How much money will they have to spend to equal the cost of driving to wherever it is you're proposing? If Barrow County had a lower tax than Gwinnett, you think people would drive over here to shop? People in Oconee? How much would it cost them to drive here.

#5.3.1 Annie Omus on 03/17/11 at 02:28 PM [Reply]

People go to Gwnt County to get a 1% reduction in Sales Tax because.... they have a whole heck of alot more choices in restaurants and shopping centers! But, that doesn't work for Barrow Cty as there is not the vast choices of shopping or restaurants here. A 1% reduction in sales tax in Barrow would not benefit us as there is nothing much to draw people from the surrounding counties.

#5.3.1.1 longtime in Barrow on 03/20/11 at 03:43 PM [Reply]

A 1% sales tax WILL benefit us, Us being the Property Owners in Barrow County, comparing us to Gwinnett Co will not work, they have over 800,000 residents, but most moderate sized counties still need to fund their governments, a continued 1% sales tax is the FAIREST way to collect that tax. Yes, we need more places to spend our money HERE, but do you really drive to Gwinnett to buy your groceries because of a 1% less tax, I doubt it. We are left with this as our best option, We need to make sure that money is well spent though. There are other simularly positioned & sized counties around Atlanta doing exactly the same.

#5.3.1.2 longtime in Barrow on 03/21/11 at 12:54 AM [Reply]

Gwinnett has more choices, NOT because they have a 1% less sales tax, Gwinnett (or Gwnt as you have it) has over 810,000 people making it not only the 2nd largest county in Georgia, it ranks around 64th in the entire nation, that is why, massive population. Our 1% tax has little to do with why we dont have the same choices that they have next door, Jackson and Walton and other counties are not much different than Barrow. But we have alot idiots here who "intentionally shop outside Barrow" to show us, We companies and businesses do studies of commerce before they just move a new loacation somewhere, and since you all seem to show outside Barrow, you will help those places GET EVEN More places to show and we will continue to be UNDER-SUPPLIED here with choices, we shoot ourselves by not spending here, it shows a need... SPENDING HERE WILL HELP GROW OUR ECOMOMY AND BRING MORE BUSINESS HERE, --did anyone go to school?

#6 Anonymous on 03/16/11 at 06:20 AM [Reply]

about 1200 voters -- about average for Barrow. We REALLY NEED a get out to vote before 2012

#6.1 longtime in Barrow on 03/20/11 at 03:51 PM [Reply]

Actually was Below a average turnout, but that was covered in a different article.

In Cobb County, one the Largest Counties in GA, their's passed by only 79 votes, much Less a margin than in Barrow, with a simular turnout there, IT was not due to the Poor Barrow Voters, it was due to holding this Vote separate from other Elections, therefore it was not well publicized.

My own boss even questioned me when I told them I needed to run go vote.

Your comment seems to be just Barrow-Bashing.

#7 DuWayne R. Anderson on 03/16/11 at 06:31 AM [Reply]

I wanted to express my personal thanks to all the voters in Barrow County who made the effort to get out and vote on this important SPLOST issue.
DuWayne

#8 Jimmy on 03/16/11 at 06:50 AM [Reply]

Those outlet stores are still packed every day...

#9 Anonymous on 03/16/11 at 10:45 PM [Reply]

I agree with JB. We never shop Barrow due to the higher sales tax. On a $1500.00 TV why pay an extra $15.00 just for the pleasure of shopping in Barrow.

#9.1 Red Ryder on 03/17/11 at 08:35 AM [Reply]

So how often are you buying $1,500 TVs? If it's that often, what are you worried about, spending $15 less.

And how much did you spend on gas to save that $15. How much in delivery charges did you pay?

Hello...McFly....

#9.2 Red Ryder on 03/18/11 at 09:38 AM [Reply]

If you're buying enough $1500 TVs to justify saving $15, then you shouldn't be worried about the 1% anyway.

The rest of us consider the cost to drive wherever we're going. Plus, if you spend your money outside of Barrow County, you're only supporting the other county anyway. What good is that?

#9.3 longtime in Barrow on 03/20/11 at 04:05 PM [Reply]

You don’t shop in Barrow just because of the 1% more in sales tax? YOU are an Idiot. You are here posting but you only Care about Your OWN WALLET, You Do Not Care about your Community (other than to complain here) it appears. You spend more fuel driving to Gwinnett than you save there, but "as long as my local government doesn't have that money to spend on OUR roads and needs here" Think about it. We need to Spend Locally To KEEP OUR OWN TAXES down, so go fund another county’s Government, WE can RAISE TAXES even MORE here...

I think it often referred to as “cutting your own nose of despite your face”

You want to know why Gwinnett can have 1% LOWER SALES TAX??? Because 100,000 idiots like this person go there and spend there so to avoid paying there own share where they live, so Gwinnett gets revenue from out of county spenders, and it saves their residents 1%. (and what will you say if Gwinnett raises theirs 1% next year?)

#9.4 longtime in Barrow on 03/21/11 at 12:36 AM [Reply]

You don’t shop in Barrow just because of the 1% more in sales tax? YOU are an Idiot. You are here posting but you only Care about Your OWN WALLET, You Do Not Care about your Community (other than to complain here) it appears. You spend more fuel driving to Gwinnett than you save there, but "as long as my local government doesn't have that money to spend on OUR road and needs here" Think about it. We need to Spend Locally To KEEP OUR OWN TAXES down, so go fund another county’s Government, WE can RAISE TAXES even MORE here...

I think it often referred to as “cutting your own nose of despite your face”

You want to know why Gwinnett can have 1% LOWER SALES TAX??? Because 100,000 idiots like this person go there and spend there so to avoid paying there own share where they live, so Gwinnett gets revenue from out of county spenders, and it saves their residents 1%. (and what will you say if Gwinnett raises theirs 1% next year?)

#10 DuWayne R. Anderson on 03/17/11 at 05:45 AM [Reply]

The vote came down to a simple choice; Keep the current SPLOST dollars in place, or deal with higher property taxes. Based on the actual vote, common sense prevailed.
DuWayne

#11 Good Ole Boy on 03/17/11 at 12:56 PM [Reply]

DOOOOOWAYNE, you are just eat up with common sense, right. Glad you stayed away until the vote was complete. For once, good job. And great with the facebook also!!!!!!!!!!!!

#11.1 DuWayne R. Anderson on 03/18/11 at 07:03 AM [Reply]

Your welcome!
DuWayne

#12 Taxpayer on 03/17/11 at 03:00 PM [Reply]

More taxes to be taken out of my pocket at the point of a gun. Government at work. What happened to all the anti-tax Republicans we supposedly have around here in Barrow?

#12.1 DuWayne R. Anderson on 03/18/11 at 07:00 AM [Reply]

If SPLOST had been defeated, your taxes WOULD HAVE GONE UP! They may still go up, but it won't be because SPLOST failed, it will be because of a tax revenue shortfall due to the Recession.
Thanks to all the voters who cared enough to turn out and vote.
DuWayne

#13 J_B_Moore on 03/18/11 at 07:57 AM [Reply]

Don't take my word for it. Look at the success of the outlets. Save a few percent and they will drive. If the demand is there then supply will follow and meet the need. If Barrow gave the opportunity for business to succeed and bring a customer base for a sustainable reason, they would come. Do you have a sams club card? bj's? costco? point made. You will make a trip and spend $300.00 at sams in bogart,why? It all adds up, and you save money, we go once a month and fill up the car. Point being we have to live within our means,and a few cents is hundreds in a year. As long as we not only give it up at gun point we even vote to give them more of our hard earned money. We will never have accountable govt. Go ahead Mr. Anderson and tell us that when you get elected Teachers will all make a minimum of 100k and ride to work on unicorns, but as we all see with the federal govt. and the millions Barrow must repay over decades,it just doesn't work.

#13.1 Anonymous on 03/27/11 at 11:32 PM [Reply]

Those outlets are a concentrated high-end goods along an interstate. Just how sucessful are they, PLEANTY of vacant space for lease if you want to move on up (Banks Crossing) or down (Locust Grove) but since they have the SAME 1% SPLOST we do, What is your point??

People in Barrow shop outside Barrow and help other areas to get more places to shop in while those same people sit around and complain, there is no "getting it" with some of you.

#14 DuWayne R. Anderson on 03/18/11 at 03:29 PM [Reply]

Here is a challenge for each of you who feel strongly about either side of the Education debate;
Spend 1 full day in a Teachers classroom and see what they actually do. Spend 1 full day with a principle of any school and see what he or she really does. After you have done that, then post your report here or contact me directly. To those of you who have already done that, I say thank you. To the rest of you who haven't, you now have your homework assignment. Get involved, get informed, and make a difference..........
DuWayne

Add Comment

Name
Email
Homepage
In reply to
Comment: E-Mail addresses will not be displayed and will only be used for E-Mail notifications.
To leave a comment you must approve it via e-mail, which will be sent to your address after submission.

To prevent automated Bots from commentspamming, please enter the string you see in the image below in the appropriate input box. Your comment will only be submitted if the strings match. Please ensure that your browser supports and accepts cookies, or your comment cannot be verified correctly.

Enter the string from the spam-prevention image above:
Phone*

What is five plus one?
: Remember Information? Subscribe to this entry
: Submitted comments will be subject to moderation before being displayed.

Barrow voters approve SPLOST renewal

Barrow Journal

Barrow voters approve SPLOST renewal

Recent Stories

Recent Comments

This Week's Poll

Sister Sites

Archives

Community

Keyword Tags