Regional Taxes, More wasted money
The Herald article echoes columns at the AJC and ramblings we heard during the last legislative session: Business leader: Status quo leaves little money for new roads
"Sen. Chip Pearson (R-Dawsonville), a member of the committee, questioned the wisdom of lawmakers supporting any form of tax increase when, due to inefficiency and burdensome federal regulations, the DOT typically takes years to bring even the simplest project into service. If we come up with these additional funds, what assurance do we have that these funds are going to be turned into asphalt, concrete and bridges?”
History does not repeat itself. It's just the same thing over and over again. Look at Henry County's penchant for dedicating transportation funds to promote development. There is not a plan or consistent policy that addresses the congestion issues.
The bridges at Eagles Landing, Jonesboro Road and Hwy 20/81 were constructed to promote the adjacent shopping areas. Using Eagles Landing as the best example of PPPP (P__ Poor Prior Planning) an eleven lane bridge narrows to two-lane roads. Every day from about 3pm to 6pm traffic on I-75 becomes a parking lot when you pass Hwy 138 moving Comfortably South of Atlanta. These bridges serve one purpose: drive retail development.
Feeding government in general, and a regional (read less accountable) quasi-governmental agency with more tax dollars is similar to enabling a drunk with more alcohol. He feels better for a while, but the problem is never addressed. It is no coincidence that the same people telling us how we are living Comfortably South of Atlanta are the people pushing hardest for new taxes.
We already have the 4th highest taxes in Metro-Atlanta. Our commissioners, the ARC and the state DOT have formulated one plan: make excuses, complain and ask for more money.
Throwing more of our money at these folks is purely self defeating.
Comments
Did ya notice the AJC today? Editorials and articles about more money for schools, more money for roads, more money for Grady, more money for every blinkin' thing out there.
Everyone seems to think throwing money at problems will solve them. It ain't so! It just makes all them things more expensive.
The thing is to get elected or appointed to one of these money-spending outfits. Then you can be a millionaire too. There must be something more in it than the salaries or so many folks would not be finding all these new ways to get our money.
I ain't cynical. And I ain't saying they are all crooks. Just saying that an honest day's work oughta be judged by results, not intentions.
And there is no guarantee of equal outcomes for anyone. Folks just oughta work for what they get and get what they pay for.
I heard a guy on the radio talk about this regional tax thing being like SPLOST. He said, "voters approve specific projects to be funded."
This guy ain't been in Henry County, fer shur. We ain't seen anything specific on a ballot yet! But they ain't crooks either, 'cause "priorities change" and they need that money for something new all the time.
I am just tired of everybody sticking their hands out for taxes. I am really confused, though, by all the morons who always vote 'yes' and give it to 'em.
I'm about ready to start throwing somebody's tea in a harbor.
Posted by: Taxpoor | September 25, 2007 05:46 PM
Taxpoor,
Let me know when, and which harbor. I will be there to help.
Posted by: Joe | September 25, 2007 07:12 PM
I like what Chip Pearson is on to. And let's be honest, it's members of both state parties that have allowed GDOT over the decades to become a mammothly wasteful, gluttonous bureaucracy. GDOT needs forensic audits, procedural audits, etc.
They need to be ridden hard by state rep's & state senators. Every penny they spend needs to be accounted for. But GDOT is such a source for pork and huge contracts for road builders that not too many legislators under the Dome have the guts to demand accountability and transparency from GDOT.
Posted by: Trackboy1 | September 26, 2007 01:25 AM
Everyone is right but don’t leave out the fact that the problem is much larger than just GDOT! We have built an enormous amount of bureaucracy around them as well with the whole “Alphabet soup” of transportation agencies, commissions, authorities that do nothing but duplicate what the other groups do! It is infuriating that we have let it get to this point but we continue to add more groups to the mix, just last year the ARC added the Transit Planning Board (TPB) to go with MARTA, GRPA, GRTA, GDOT, SRTA, USDOT, FTA, EPA, EPD, FHWTA, FHA, MPO, RTP, TIP, STIP, SWTP, ………..and on and on we go! We are in a viscous cycle of chasing our tails. Plan, design , consult, adjust, re-plan, re-design, consult some more, send for approval to one of the numerous groups mentioned above then they make a change and we start all over again! And when it is all said and done there is so many people to blame for the delay that it really doesn’t hurt anyone but the public.
But you know what, some believe just a small 1 cent retail sales tax ($23 Billion) increase that adds a another new state agency can fix it all. While others like Eldrin Bell(Chairman of the TPB) and Sam Olens(Chairman of Cobb County and the ARC) think thats not even enough!
Posted by: Rep Davis | September 26, 2007 06:37 PM