When the SPLOST tax started, it sounded like a good idea, and it was. The idea was to let we-the-taxpayers look at some urgent local projects, and we could vote yes or no for a Special Local Option Sales Tax of one cent to pay for them. That way our regular taxes would not have to be raised. And when the projects were finished, or the money spent, the tax would go away. Good idea. Then came the second SPLOST, and a third, and fourth, and now the fifth is winding down. So city and county officials are figuring out what to spend a sixth SPLOST on, and are saying: "Hey. We are not raising your taxes. We are only continuing the one-cent tax you are paying now." But there has been a problem with SPLOST 5. It was expected to bring in $240-million; an average of $40-million a year. But we taxpayers were in a serious recession so it is bringing in only $150-million, or $25-million a year for the governments. It meant our people were getting, and spending, 39% less than expected. We didn't have it to spend. Now it appears our economy is trying to come back, which raises the question: What are those projects that are so urgent that we should take $25-million a year (or more) from our people's pockets to pay for them right now? And if they are not urgent, isn't it time to recall that the idea was to drop the SPLOST when the money from that special tax had been spent? <br />
