As we go through life, we are confronted with many things from government that politicians try to sell as being the answer to our problems. However, so many of these ideas don’t solve the problem, but cost us taxpayers tremendous amounts of money.
In 2012, we the people within the 10-county metro Atlanta region will be asked to approve an “additional” 1 percent sales tax to fund the new regional transportation plan. As stated, if approved, we will be required to pay the additional 1 percent sales tax for 10 years.
However, we all know that, once established, it will be extended and extended for years to come. Do you remember that the toll booths on Ga. 400 were supposed to be removed when the road was paid for? Are you surprised they are still there long after the road is paid for?
An even bigger problem is that if we approve the additional penny sales tax, it will put up to $20 billion into the hands of a few politicians and bureaucrats. I personally do not trust so much money in so few hands. This encourages the good ol’ boy network to crank up for misuse of our tax money.
In addition, mass transit expansion is slated to receive billions of dollars. We all know that MARTA already takes large infusions of taxpayer dollars to operate. We the taxpayers pay a large portion of the operating cost through the special sales tax in Fulton and DeKalb counties. It has been collected for decades with no end in sight.
When MARTA is expanded into our other counties, taxpayers will be forced to pay more to cover the dramatically increased operating cost. Do you want your taxes to go up further — and stay up — to support MARTA and other mass transit projects for many years into the future?
When MARTA is expanded, crime rates in the new service areas will dramatically increase. This happens all over the country when a transit system expands. Take a look at Chicago, Oakland, California, and on and on.
We have had the Atlanta Regional Commission covering the 10-county metro Atlanta area for a number of years. We have the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority, which already has the authority to force more dense land-use rezoning in heavy traffic corridors.
Now, here we come with the Atlanta regional transportation plan. This established a new level of bureaucracy to control our money. Please be aware that this could very well be just another step toward a regional government. That’s all we need is more and bigger government.
Harold C. Bost is co-founder of the Fayette County Issues Tea Party.
