Before we get into the numbers game in regards to the SPLOST 8, TIA, property taxes, stormwater fees and street light fees, let’s take a look at last week’s commission shenanigans.
Commissioner Stacy Pulliam must have invited Mad Magazine’s Alfred E. Neuman to give a lecture on “gaslighting the citizens” at a secret workshop. Either that or they really do think the citizens are that ignorant. It has become increasingly obvious that most commissioners don’t give a hoot as to what the taxpayers think until it’s election time.
The majority of the commissioners stated that they didn’t think the city employees clocking in and out was of a top priority. As it is, there is no real accountability of where they are actually at if they do clock in, since they have numerous options of how to clock in.
They can clock in and out at a work location. As it is set up, an employee at the landfill can clock in at the municipal building. It doesn’t have to be at the worksite location. They can clock in and out using a computer, laptop, tablet or cell phone.
Yep, employees can report that they are working from home while in reality they could be on the sands of Myrtle Beach, Tybee Island or anywhere else they choose to be.
But of course, none of our government employees would ever do anything like that. Then again, no congressperson or senator would ever lobby for pork barrel spending to build a bridge in the middle of a desert. Or would they?
Never has the First Amendment been abused, misrepresented or misinterpreted as here in Augusta. Throw in the University of Georgia Law School letter to Columbia County and advice to Augusta’s commission that a panhandling ordinance would violate “freedom of speech” when panhandlers aggressively asked for money.
It seems to be conjecture. It really depends on what side of an issue you happened to stand on.
When does “Freedom of Speech” become dangerous, a nuisance or threatening? What if your neighbor stood on their side of the fence and constantly yelled across to your children playing in your backyard? What if they called your children brats, ugly, stupid or not wanted? Is that speech protected by the First Amendment? Or shouldn’t something be done legally to stop this behavior?
The same goes for panhandlers interfering with someone’s personal right not to be harassed or threatened.
Has anyone in authority ever even wondered how many criminals with active warrants are hiding in plain sight as homeless? Are there murderers, robbers, rapists or child molesters out there on our streets? Would it violate their rights for police to ask for identification and run a check on them?
To use Commissioner Jordan Johnson’s favorite and most repeated phrase: “At the end of the day,” isn’t the most important issue the protection of our citizens? Just asking for a friend. In fact, I’m asking for about 200,000 friends.
Now let’s look at the SPLOST 8’s most questionable items.
While most voters don’t know the entire list when voting, the commission does. As The Augusta Press reporter Susan McCord recently stated in a printed article, three commissioners voted NO to approve SPLOST 8 from being placed on the ballot: Commissioners Marion Williams, Dennis Williams and John Clarke.
There is so much on that SPLOST that should not have been on it. Pure pork barrel politics. Some allocations are duplications of services, and some were already funded by other monies. Some are just not clearly and fully explained.
Take the stormwater fees the city receives on a yearly basis of $12million $13 million.
Engineering and Parks and Recreation state over and over that those fees do not cover grass cutting. Although, whenever you see anyone cutting the roadway right of ways you always see that sign. “your stormwater fees at work.”
Most of the time you see the sign and no workers.
The Engineering Department states the fees are for irrigation and drainage projects. What, when and where? On the recreation section there is $3 million for irrigation county-wide. Yet the Parks and Recreation director states that money is for Diamond Lakes and Eisenhower Park. Down the line in the infrastructure section there is another $20 million for grading and drainage.
Where does the stormwater fee actually go? What is it really used for?
The Richmond County Correctional Institution has $11 million in SPLOST 8 for a new facility, yet it contains zero dollars for the Charles B. Webster Detention Center.
Recreation is receiving $1 million for administrative services while the Engineering Department will receive $6.5 million for administrative services. Under “quality of life,” there is listed $5 million for program administration. Why?
Under “economic development,” there are two items that are not explained. First on the list is $14 million for the Fifth Street Depot Project. Remember there could not be development because of the contract with Unisys? So, what is the $14 million for?
Next is $16.5 million for the Cyber Center parking deck. Are they building another one? Or is that just administrative cost?
Quality-of-life program administration lists $5 million, a waterpark adds $5 million and the Fifth Street pedestrian bridge, $1.75 million.
Another couple of items are really puzzling. A new state-of-the-art James Brown Arena-Bond debt service will cost $16 million. Add in a “New State-of-the-Art James Brown Arena-pay go.”
I would like for someone to define to me what an “arena-pay go” is.
Also, we must remember that $23.5 million has been allotted for road resurfacing is in this SPLOST, but don’t look for your road to be repaved. They are too busy paving roads that really don’t need it, like the Milledge Road section recently paved at Lake Olmstead.
This SPLOST 8 package was approved in 2021 and is projected to run through 2026. Please pull the entire list up at the Augusta government website and take a deeper look.
Folks, as always, you just can’t make this stuff up.
