Yearwood flip-flop on T-SPLOST catches some by surprise

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Wednesday, June 27. 2012

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For more than a year as the chairman of the Barrow County Board of Commissioners, Danny Yearwood has publicly stressed the vital importance of passing the upcoming T-SPLOST referendum. But last week, as the challenger to Sen. Frank Ginn for the District 47 seat in the Georgia Senate, Yearwood dramatically changed his position and publicly renounced the proposed penny sales tax for transportation that will go before voters on July 31. His 180-degree flip-flop took everyone by surprise. Particularly infuriating some folks is his insistence that he never really supported the proposed tax, when he clearly has been its biggest local cheerleader. Tommy Jennings, president of the chamber, said his organization is disappointed by Yearwood’s change in position. The chamber has endorsed the tax measure because of the impact of transportation infrastructure on economic development. “We are disappointed that Chairman Yearwood has made the decision not to support the T-SPLOST, specifically after he was one of the major proponents of the projects that would benefit Barrow County. We continue to believe that safer roads, a bypass around Winder, and the opportunity for economic development will benefit all of Barrow County as we go forward.”

For the full story, see the June 27 issue of the Barrow Journal.

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#1 Anonymous on 06/27/12 at 10:26 AM [Reply]

Surprised, really?

He can't help it, He is/was a Used Car Salesman

#1.1 whopper on 06/28/12 at 08:05 AM [Reply]

Ginn keeps telling whoppers about taxes but you won't read about it in this newspaper. Ginn wants to raise the gas tax. Ginn wants to tax groceries. Ginn wants to add more tax to cigarettes. Ginn is for TSPLOST. And all this from a guy that said he was against any new tax. Talk about flip flopping.

#1.1.1 Down Dumbwood on 06/28/12 at 04:02 PM [Reply]

We all know you and your family are the only one's who plan on voting for you or is blogging against Ginn

#1.1.1.1 typisch on 06/28/12 at 04:59 PM [Reply]

Typical Ginn supporter -- ignore the facts and attack your opponent. Are you saying that Ginn does not support raising the gas tax, cigarette tax, grocery tax, and TSPLOST? Yearwood opposes all of this and he has my vote.

#2 Tao on 06/27/12 at 11:22 AM [Reply]

I would like to hear one supporter of the T-SPLOST document how there is a need for more infrastructure. Document one lost business that couldn't get a truck somewhere.

#3 READ THIS!!! on 06/27/12 at 02:01 PM [Reply]

I would have Supported the T-SPLOST, but our leaders have shown they CANNOT Be Trusted (Example GA400 Toll, etc, Etc) and They act without Good Faith, this example being the HOT Lanes, Charging me to USE a Lane my TAX DOLLARS ALREADY PAID FOR.

Additionally, the T-SPLOST is just FULL of PORK PROJECTS, that Do NOT Improve our Transportation in our area or Metro Atlanta. It is PET PROJECTS all over the Metro, Including in our own backyard, for Example: GOLF CART PATHS in Braselton, Yes those would be Nice, but HAVE NO BUSINESS in a Transportation TAX Package, so NO, I SAY WE ALL VOTE NO

Make the so called LEADERS propose a Real Package of Items WE NEED ONLY, just the NECESSARY ITEMS. The T-SPLOST is JUST TAX #1 of SEVERAL IN THE FUTURE!!!! Vote NO, Ask for a REAL Package We CAN Support!!

#3.1 Joe on 06/27/12 at 02:26 PM [Reply]

I found out there is no golf cart paths in the projects under the T-SPLOST. And projects in Gwinnett county don't affect our region at all. Why can't the real facts be brought out?

#3.1.1 Mike Buffington, Publisher on 06/27/12 at 02:36 PM [Reply]

But there are bike lane projects in Clarke County, which is part of the region Barrow is in. You are correct, Barrow's vote on T-SPLOST has nothing to do with the Atlanta traffic situation.

#3.1.1.1 Anonymous on 06/27/12 at 03:50 PM [Reply]

Money goes into the same pot. This is REGIONAL T-SPLOST, not a county by county vote. Please explain why you are stating this otherwise. Your information is in conflict with almost every other thing I have seen or heard, including live interviews with officals and the DOT website.

#3.1.1.1.1 Anonymous on 06/27/12 at 09:31 PM [Reply]

Here is the link for the TSPLOST list. There are 2 bike lane projects listed for Clarke County. Airport improvements for Clarke and Jackson County.

http://www.it3.ga.gov/Documents/FinalList/Northeast-FinalInvestmentList.pdf

Our region has nothing to do with Atlanta. We're not even considered as part of the Metro Atlanta area. That's why we are exempt from the Clean Air Scam.

#4 Anonymous on 06/27/12 at 02:29 PM [Reply]

At least he's on the right side of the issue now.

#4.1 Anonymous on 06/27/12 at 03:21 PM [Reply]

For Now, but what about 10 minutes, 1 hour, 1 Day from Now...

Or after he gets elected?

#5 taxes on 06/27/12 at 03:27 PM [Reply]

Anybody who studies the way we pay for roads will be against this tax. The real question is why Frank Ginn is for TSPLOST (because the governor told him to be for it) and why he supports so many tax increases when he ran last time as an anti-tax candidate.

#5.1 The way I see it on 06/27/12 at 04:17 PM [Reply]

The way we pay for roads is by the gas tax. The money for roads keeps going down every year due to better cars.

Obviously the boys in Atlanta punted the tax increase onto the citizens, as they didn't want to be seen voting for a tax increase.

I haven't seen Ginn voting for any tax increases, and I heard him say he wasn't in the legislature when the T-SPLOST was voted on.

#5.1.1 Clear Eyes on 06/27/12 at 07:36 PM [Reply]

If you haven't seen Ginn voting for tax increases you haven't been watching. He voted to add sales tax on the sale of used cars by individuals. Now he's bragging on it like it's a tax cut, but here is what he said about it before he voted FOR it:

“That’s a tax shift from higher income folks to lower income folks,” Ginn said. “I don’t care how you did the math, that would be a tax increase for the folks in the 47th District.

Go on over to the Madison Journal and judge for yourself:

http://www.madisonjournaltoday.com/archives/4795-Ginn-expects-more-talk-on-tax-reform.html

#5.1.2 Taxes on 06/27/12 at 08:18 PM [Reply]

Ginn has been in the legislature for two years and has done nothing about TSPLOST. They all say "there is no Plan B". Well plan b is something called "leadership" and we haven't seen any of that out of Atlanta. They should stop spending gas tax money on other things and we wouldn't need another tax like TSPLOST. Time to clean house and throw them out.

#5.1.2.1 thomthumb on 06/27/12 at 08:52 PM [Reply]

Exactly. Throw the bums out. I know Ginn wanted to add taxes to groceries and cigarettes. Idiot.

#5.1.2.1.1 Tumbleweed on 06/30/12 at 09:46 AM [Reply]

"Those who stand for nothing fall for anything."
-Alexander Hamilton

I'd rather vote for the Man (Ginn) that stands FOR Something then the Man (Yearwood) changes with the wind of public option.

#5.1.2.1.1.1 Tax AGinn on 06/30/12 at 09:59 AM [Reply]

Ginn stands for something? Really? Because I remember him saying that he was against all of these taxes, and then he got elected and suddenly he started supporting every tax that was proposed. And now he's running for re-election and suddenly I get something in the mail calling Ginn a "Tax Cut Champion". Does he really think we are that stupid? Only thing he stands for is getting re-elected.

#5.1.2.1.1.1.1 Master Plan to Take over the World on 07/01/12 at 08:58 AM [Reply]

I see, It's really quite brilliant, It's Yearwood's Master Plan to Take Over the World with complete ineptitude.

Anytime anyone confronts your lack of character or morals, just point at the other Guy and scream "Stop Wasteful Spending" or "I'm against any point the other guy made..."

Why it worked so well with Garrison...

After all, we voted against Garrison not for Yearwood.

Really, why would anyone vote for a "Boss Hog" caricature?

#6 been a while, got catchin up to do- Puppet Master on 06/27/12 at 05:45 PM [Reply]

Honestly, TSPLOST is really not needed. After you pluck out what DOT wants (the 316 bridges)all thats left is useless intersection improvements and the Bypass, which we can get by without. We don't have traffic problems, we just think we do. Go to Gwinnett, metro Atlanta - they have real traffic problems. The rest of the list is repaving that the County should be doing anyway. The only ones that are promoting this thing are the paving companies, engineering design firms- made up mostly of GaDOT retirees and GaDOT (one in the same)they stand to make millions off government easy money as they always have. The County will end up spending a lot of out of pocket money just by trying to get the projects done in the limited life of the tax. As for Yearwood flip-flopping, same old story.

#7 Anonymous on 06/27/12 at 07:08 PM [Reply]

The battle over how the region would spend $6.14 billion to fix metro Atlanta’s transportation quagmire is in full roar.
Little noticed in the din: $1.08 billion in tax revenue that would go directly to local government, part of the $7.2 billion expected from the proposed 1 percent sales tax.
Each of the region’s counties, cities and towns would get a share of the $1 billion to spend on transportation. But unlike the regional $6 billion fund, there is no requirement to list a single project for the $1 billion local fund. In many cases, voters at the polls July 31 will have no way of knowing where the projects are that the local money would build.
An Atlanta Journal-Constitution survey of all 78 of the region’s city, town and county governments found that more than half don’t even have a project list more than two years after the referendum bill became law.
Of those that have a list, many are not complete. At least 10 refuse to choose projects at all until after the vote passes. One said it would be “presumptuous” to do so. Eight did not respond to questions from the AJC about what they might do with the money.
It’s a stark contrast to the main $6 billion fund. For that list, the law established rigorous guidelines for choosing projects. The proposals were discussed in open meetings and a public vote set. By law, that list is complete. Voters can know what projects they’re choosing in what locations when they go to the polls in six weeks.
Supporters of government transparency are uneasy about the hit-and-miss planning with the local $1 billion.
Ethics watchdogs said they understand the difficulty of planning something big and new, which can be especially hard for a small, understaffed government. But, they cautioned, it matters that voters won’t know how the $1 billion would be spent.
“Any time the public is in the dark it’s a bad thing,” said Randy Barrett, a spokesman for the Center for Public Integrity. If voters could see a list of specific projects before the vote, “then at least the individual citizen can decide whether that use of taxpayer money is worthwhile and going to the right things. Let’s face it, they’re the ones supplying the money.”

#7.1 Anonymous on 06/27/12 at 08:33 PM [Reply]

Glad that doesn't affect anybody in Barrow County's region. We aren't in the Atlanta region. I heard Yearwood speak about the projects the county had chosen with the local gov't money.

#8 Anonymous on 06/27/12 at 07:58 PM [Reply]

The only reason I am supporting TSPLOT is so that my husband, who works for a rock quarry, will hopefully get to work 12 months a year instead of roughly 6 months. From what I know, the projects are there just not funded.

#8.1 Mike M. on 06/28/12 at 11:35 AM [Reply]

How is it the taxpayers' responsiblity to ensure your husband has a job? Perhaps your husband should ponder a career move...... Just saying. If my current employment situation only provided me with 6 months of work a year, common sense would tell me to reevaulate my employment situation.

#8.1.1 Anonymous on 06/28/12 at 12:04 PM [Reply]

Didn't you see the Big News about the Airport... They are doubling maybe tripling the number of guard air craft...

It not commerce from private carriers, commercial carriers, its from the federal government. That's right, the big economic boom for the airport is more tax dollars spent to base at the airport.

So, what's the difference, Tax Dollars (Your Money) spent for weekend warriors to practice flying around or giving this lady's husband a pay check for an additional six months?

#8.1.1.1 Mike M. on 06/29/12 at 10:42 AM [Reply]

Your argument has NO merit. The government has already budgeted the money needed to base the aircraft the only differance is the money will be brought to Barrow County (please explain to me how this is a bad thing).

In other words and please read them s-l-o-w-l-y so your simple mind can understand, the airport deal is an existing tax used for national defense. This SPLOST is a NEW tax one that will be used as a slush fund to pay for pet projects that does nothing good for Barrow County.

#8.1.1.1.1 Anonymous on 06/29/12 at 12:04 PM [Reply]

All your little military-industrial complex
air-toys need to locate granite clouds. Preferably with you aboard.

#9 Anonymous on 06/28/12 at 01:20 AM [Reply]

Make no mistake about it. Yearwood changed his position strickly because of politics. He is running for State Senate and has seen the polls and knows that he was on the losing side. Think Yearwood is a tax cutter. County milage rate has increased under Yearwood. Don't say he did not have a vote. He could have vetoed it...we all know he loves to use the veto when it favors him.

Like the very first poster stated, "he's a used car salesman"...nuff said.

I couldn't vote for Yearwood if he was the only one running. What an embarrasment he has been.

#9.1 Anonymous on 06/28/12 at 12:19 PM [Reply]

Yearwood voted against the tax increases.

Yearwood never supported the TSPLOST. His job was to be sure that if Barrow County citizens were stuck with the tax, some of the revenue would return to the county. It is a defensive action on behalf of taxpayers in the event the tax passes.

TSPLOST will cost jobs, not create them.

#9.1.1 Whaaa!!?? on 06/28/12 at 01:11 PM [Reply]

You must not have been to the state of the county talk he gave. I sat out in the audience and listened to him ramble on about the t-SPLOST and how it would help. And he was against it the whole time?

#9.1.1.1 I was there on 06/28/12 at 03:29 PM [Reply]

He talked about putting together a good project list and what the projects would do for the county. It is a good project list, thanks to his hard work, and he said so. He also said it was a tax on the citizens. Basically he shared the pros and cons of it and it sounds like you heard what you wanted to hear.

#9.1.1.1.1 Whaa!!?? on 06/28/12 at 03:57 PM [Reply]

Are you saying he NEVER supported it? Because that is not what he said. Read Susan Norman's article on today's paper.

#9.1.2 just more of the same Used Car Salesman BS on 06/28/12 at 03:34 PM [Reply]

Just Say anything, Character does Not Count, Just say it enough and Nobody will remember what the elected arrogance did if he says the right words enough...

#9.1.3 Anonymous on 06/29/12 at 11:49 PM [Reply]

"Yearwood voted against the tax increase"

Let's see. Since when does the chairman get a vote unless it is a tie? The vote was not a tie, therefore Yearwood never voted. You can't spin it to make Yearwood look good. Can't happen.

And yes, he has always supported the t-splost.

#9.1.3.1 Anonymous on 07/01/12 at 10:26 PM [Reply]

There were two occasions when the chairman broke a tie on votes to raise taxes. He voted no both times.

#9.1.3.1.1 Keep on spinning it on 07/02/12 at 07:58 AM [Reply]

Just keep on spinning it...

You have along way to go before the elected arrogance looks anywhere the same to the rest of Barrow as he does in his own head.

#10 Sheesh on 06/28/12 at 12:59 PM [Reply]

It is probably much more simple than that. Yearwood could sit tight and get crushed in the next local election or roll the dice and take the very small chance that he could thumb his nose at everyone in Barrow and go one to an even bigger job.

#11 DuWayne R. Anderson on 06/28/12 at 04:16 PM [Reply]

This is typical Yearwood. No one should be surprised by this move. Politics at its best(or its worst)...he knew he couldn't beat Graham, so he decided to take a long shot by running against Ginn...... not a great decision......
DuWayne

#11.1 Joe Joe on 06/28/12 at 06:12 PM [Reply]

DuWayne could we get you to run for office so you will have to move to washington or somewhere else? Out of the state so we don't have to listen to your stupid remarks or ideas.

#11.1.1 GOB on 06/29/12 at 07:02 AM [Reply]

DOOOOOOOOOWAYNE, since you are so concerned about the Tractor Supply leaving Barrow and you are jobless and have been for some time; please apply there and maybe, just maybe if you actually get hired, then you can move to Macon with them. PLEASE

#11.1.2 DuWayne R. Anderson on 06/29/12 at 07:31 AM [Reply]

Sorry the truth hurts Joe Joe, but your personal attacks change nothing. Facts are facts. Deal with it.
DuWayne

#11.1.2.1 Joe Joe on 06/29/12 at 07:30 PM [Reply]

I deal with every day. We have to listen to your STUPID ideas that don't work and want ever work. My god dude your a legend in your own mind. The gov want put your idea in place CAUSE IT WANT WORK!! Now you deal with that blow heart.

#11.1.2.1.1 Anon on 06/29/12 at 10:43 PM [Reply]

Shame on you, "Joe Joe" ( it's really hard to take anyone seriously who refers to himself as Joe Joe) for calling anyone stupid. The word is WON'T, not WANT.......as in "won't ever work" and "won't put your idea in place"...... Sheesh!

#11.1.2.1.1.1 Joe Joe on 06/30/12 at 08:23 AM [Reply]

I went to school in Winder. Any questions?

#12 DuWayne R. Anderson on 06/30/12 at 07:51 AM [Reply]

All taxpayers in Barrow County should be concerned, when any business moves out. Just remember that when a business leaves Barrow, we all lose. Tax revenues go down. Who will make it up? Where will the money come from to balance the loss? Most on this page have stated that they will not vote for anyone who raises taxes. We can't afford to keep losing businesses like this. If you disagree, then I guess you won't have a problem when taxes get raised.....
DuWayne

#13 MollyRose on 07/05/12 at 09:44 AM [Reply]

These politicians try to guilt the citizens into voting to give them more money and they wonder why we probably/hopefully won't? If they had show in the past some fiscal responsibility we maybe would think about forking over more hard-earned dough to them. but the haven't, and I won't. Do they really think all the posturing and promising and feel-good rhetoric is going to fool us once again? Stand up people, fight back by not giving them even more money to waste. They say it will help the roads but I think it will find its way into other coffers and pockets. We have to tighten our belts and do without in this economy, 'they' can too. Let them learn the money well is dry and maybe they will work on real issues and not start all this new project business.

#14 Anonymous on 07/15/12 at 11:53 AM [Reply]

Instead of looking to the state or TSPLOST to fund the bypass, the answer may be in having it be a dedicated toll road. Then, only those that want to use it would have to pay.

Or....The county could give citizens a choice: 1. Toll road funded by users only, or 2. Toll road w/some local funding via a special real estate tax (citizens would get free use of the toll road.

It seems to me, too often we look for someone else to pay for everything we want. A little personal responsibility in handling our needs would be a welcome change in our society.

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Yearwood flip-flop on T-SPLOST catches some by surprise

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