Even with the temperatures reaching into the 100 degree range, the elitist elected Augusta officials and the city department directors are making their wish lists out in case they can con Santa into thinking they have been good.
As for my thoughts, Santa should leave coal in every one of their stockings.
The wish list to which I am referring just happens to be another SPLOST; we are not even done with number eight and already have number nine in the making. Now if we were speaking of Ed Turner and Number 9 featuring Roger Davis, I’d be all in.
But we’re not, and I’m not all in for several reasons.
All SPLOST money is used supposedly for infrastructure and seemingly necessary things that will improve and benefit the quality of life for the city’s citizens. But to get those, you also have to vote to pay for things that don’t necessarily accomplish that endeavor.
Why? You have to vote on the entirety of the proposed SPLOST package. Nope, you have to accept and pay for the bad as well as the good.
The thing that you must consider when voting on a SPLOST tax is if you must be willing to say YES to all the things that you personally don’t agree with in order to get that one thing that you happily do agree with. Bear in mind that the SPLOST only builds, it never pays to maintain what was built.
That maintenance comes from other means, like TAXES. Then, when what is built is neglected and allowed to rot, you have to wonder and guess where the money went and you’ll never get a clear answer.
TAP’s ace reporter Susan McCord wrote an article that covered most of the proposed items being talked about to be included in the SPLOST 9 package. While I will go into a few of them, I won’t cover them all in this column. Please go back and read Susan’s article. It is really worth a re-read.
Thank you, Susan, for your diligence in getting the numbers and facts correct.
At the very beginning, I would like to clear up something that was asked concerning non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and Non- Profits.” Are they included in any SPLOST package? The answer is NO.
The gratuities clause of the Georgia Constitution bars local governments from using SPLOST or any other public funds to fund capital outlay projects for non-profit entities. The restriction applies for profit organizations as well as not-for-profit organizations, including charitable organizations [Ga. Const. 1983,art. IX & II, par. VIII ].
Let’s look at the water park. It has already been allotted $5 million in SPLOST 8; however, it needs another $8 to $10 million to get up and running according to interim Central Services Director Ron Lampkin.
Lampkin must have missed the memo that seemed to point to Diamond Lakes for the location, because he claims there is no chosen location. I guess that means finding a piece of property that Augusta already owns, give it to the Augusta Land Bank to sell back to Augusta at a huge profit for the land bank and keep the Three Amigos living the good life.
The Augusta Marriott and Convention Center states that some event planners are saying they may have to move to locations in cities that have more space to accommodate them. Therefore, they are asking for around $42 million to expand.
Ideally, they would like to double the size, and that would be great, but it’s doubtful that can even happen. Leaders of the Marriott also state that $10.5 million of the $42 million would be to add 300 new parking spaces in the parking deck.
I’m just thinking out loud here, but where would they build to double in size? Not the front of course and not on the Reynolds Street side either. Surely they don’t plan to build on the Jesse Norman Amphitheater side and destroy the fountain and entrance availability to the theater and businesses. Would building UP be the answer?
So, that means they will be using $31.5 to expand. At today’s cost? Seems somewhat doubtful to me and the 300 additional parking spaces will cost about $35,000 each, according to my math.
WOW, talk about the soaring price to park!
I guess for me the issues that were present when the convention center was first built still lingers. Too many questions remain that were not answered as to how and where money was spent.
As usual in Augusta, no answers were forthcoming then and it still a mystery as to how some things happened. Would this merely be a repeat?
The Richmond County Correctional Institution (RCCI) was allocated funds in SPLOST 8 but needs another approximately $14 million to complete the re-build. I have toured the facility and it was deplorable at best. So that item is the most likely needed project on the list.
The Charles B Webster Detention Center needs pods to house another 192 beds at a cost estimated to be $70 million dollars. There is no argument that this is needed. Everything in that facility is old, rundown, broken and some present a hazard.
The jail is vastly overcrowded. There are many inmates that have been there for quite a while awaiting trial or just can’t make bail and some are sleeping on the floor So, this item is most definitely needed.
They want $5 million to replace or repair city pools. Now, I believe it was Mayor Bob Young who suggested doing away with the city pools and replacing them with splash pads. This sounds like a good logical thought; maintenance would be a lot less costly. There would be no need to hire lifeguards, and the liability would be less.
Also, $15 million for Diamond Lakes is on the table. Why? What for? It must be to repair the tower restrooms yet again. Or is it tuild more tennis courts for Mach Academy to operate while offering nothing for the badly neglected Newman Tennis Center? Are they going to install electric car charging stations? What is the plan? I’d think more than twice about this folly.
Another ask is $10 million for the city cemeteries. Have you visited Westview, Cedar Grove or Magnolia Cemeteries lately? If not, then please go and take a look. Walk around them or drive around them.
Those cemeteries are beautiful and full of history, but they are also in dismal shape. A member of the Cemetery Committee said to me that there were only seven employees between the three city owned cemeteries.
The budget for maintenance is around $500,000 or a touch more and most of the budget goes to salaries. In the 2024 budget RCCI is also budgeted to receive $508, 830 dollars for cemetery grass mowing.
Now if the $10 million would be used to pave the roadways, repair the drainage ditches, remove dead trees, replace fencing and general repair,@ then it’s a good item, but I would have to have a detailed and itemized record of all expenditures before allowing that item through.
They want $30 million to build a multi-gym athletics complex. Doesn’t Augusta already have a lot of gyms?
City leaders must have it on their minds to try to lure the Nike Peach Jam away from North Augusta. After all, it’s said to bring in around $10 million to the local revenue. If that is the case think about it this way: Which city receives most of the revenue? I’d say Augusta as the city has the most hotels, restaurants and bars. So, does Augusta really need this expense?
Animal Services is requesting $5.5 million to expand the facilities. Why? To house more animals? Augusta is a kill shelter, and the director doesn’t seem to really want to change that position.
Now, I understand every animal cannot be adopted out. I also understand that at times euthanasia is the only solution, but not at the rate that the Animal Services perform the procedure. I would like someone to explain the reason behind expanding, if the kill policy is not going to change.
At the rate the animals are euthanized at the Augusta shelter, the money would be best spent on a crematorium. That way the bodies would be disposed of in a procedure that would be more appropriate.
The way the bodies are currently taken to the landfill and dumped relates to the New York mob dumping bodies all over the Meadowlands.
They also want $3.3 million for Augusta Housing and Development office renovations. WOW! Really? Now they, indeed, must really be entitled.
Citizens, really think about what goes into a SPLOST. Ask questions. Be involved. It is our money. Hold the government accountable.
Folks, as always, you just can’t make this stuff up.
