How’s the old saying go about you can put a ribbon on a pig, but that doesn’t change the fact it’s still a pig?
That’s pretty much how I feel about the six-year extension last week of the Special Local Option Sales Tax in Barrow County.
Folks, you can call it “fair” or “the only way to do it” or anything else you want, but the truth is, it’s still a tax. As a working man who values every penny of the paycheck he receives, I’m taxed enough already and that’s why I voted against the SPLOST renewal. It’s just not in my nature to vote another tax upon myself.
Of course, as expected, I was part of a very small group which did vote against the renewal. Most people didn’t even bother to show up to vote. There are several reasons probably.
First, laziness immediately comes to mind. Second, many probably assumed it was going to pass anyway so why bother voting on another. Third, many voters don’t read a newspaper or follow the happenings of where they live.
Regardless, we are now faced with six more years of more taxes taken from us. With Barrow County being so heavily Republican, I figured there would be a push to prevent the SPLOST extension. I guess most “I’m against taxes!” Republicans locally decided not to bother either. What a shame.
Another so called argument for the extension was if it didn’t pass it would fall on the property owners of Barrow County. Let me state right here that I am in the group and am very well aware that could have happened. But to be honest, our property values are not going down. You are going to continue to pay more in taxes on your property even though an independent appraiser will be glad to tell you the property you own is not worth what the county says. Trust me I speak from experience on this.
“How will we pay off the county debt?” I heard one person mention. “How are we going to pay for the new courthouse?” was another.
Quite frankly that shouldn’t be my problem. I voted against the new courthouse (there was no need for a new one) and I was not the one responsible for putting the county in such debt. I say send a bill to those officials who pushed the new courthouse and who voted to approve out-of-control spending before the economy tanked. They are the ones responsible, not me.
Too many taxes are already on the backs of the working men and women in Barrow County. Thanks to the extension of SPLOST, that additional tax will continue.
I am still baffled that so few people even bothered to voice their opinion on the tax extension. When are we going to wake up and realize votes like the one last week have a lasting impact on our bottom line? We have told current officials that “there’s no need to worry, just keep taxing us and we’ll bail out whatever has been done in the past, even if we were personally against it.”
I’m tired of it. If you can afford to pay another tax then go ahead and do it. But this has been going on for too long. It’s war against the working man and until people view it that way, SPLOST votes will continue to be renewed by an 80 percent margin.
I did my best to spread the word to vote “no” last week but nobody, except a handful, seems to be listening. All I can do now is shop out of the county as much as possible and to continue to fight the property tax issue.
And as for the recent SPLOST renewal, it seems we are going to be stuck with a pig for another six years. You can put as many ribbons on it as you would like, but that doesn’t change the fact it’s a pig and pigs stink.
Chris Bridges is editor of the Barrow Journal. You can reach him at cbridges@barrowjournal.com.
As for the logic that you didn't support the new courthouse, so efforts to service the debt aren't your problem. The FACT is the debt has to be serviced, whether or not you approved the purpose of the debt. So, I'd prefer to let sales tax $ go toward it, rather than a substantial increase in property tax.
Of course, this drivel is sort of stuff that you regularly spew, so astonished I am not. But, disgusted I am.
Some people suggest it would have gone to our property taxes next and you noted our property values are not going down. I am not sure where you live in Barrow, but since I bought my house in 2005, my property value as assessed by the county has dropped by a little more than 10%. My property taxes are nowhere near as horrid as they were when I lived in Gwinnett, but that doesn't mean I want my taxes raised here.
Even though I disapprove of the SPLOST, I disagree with your statement to shop out of county. You're hurting the local government, sure... but you could be killing local businesses. Why penalize the hard working business owners of the county when the government is your problem?
One last point from me. I know you did not approve of the new courthouse and neither did I. As residents in this county though, we are responsible to pay off that debt, so it IS our problem. Those officials who pushed it through? Get them out of office and find people with fiscally responsible plans, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, or Independent, and get them into office.
A sales tax is the fairest tax, as it charges people on consumption. Don't want to pay the tax, don't spend your money. But for you to declare that you won't spend your money in Barrow County harms only the hard-working businessmen and women of Barrow county, and you shoot yourself in the foot at the same time.
Like a petulant child, who stomps their foot and whines, "No, I'm not going.", your childish foot-stomp and statement, " All I can do now is shop out of the county as much as possible and to continue to fight the property tax issue.", shows your need to grow up some more.
If you live in Barrow County, you live with the consequenses of the citizenry. They voted, they approved, so deal with it. Unless you'd like to move to Gwinnett County. What? Taxes are even higher there, you say? Okay, how about Oconee County. What? Taxes too high there, too? Hmmm.
By your logic (and I use that word loosely), you just go along with whatever elected officials do. They did it, therefore it is right, we must live with, bend over and take it, etc.
I was also against this added tax (it's not a renewal but an additional tax). I actually own three properties here and also realize it could have meant more for me this way.
However we have to draw a line in the sand at some point. A new courthouse was not needed and certain public officials working for the county simply were there to line their own pockets.
I don't always agree with Bridges (probably 80 percent of the time I don't) but he was 100 percent correct with every word of this column.