When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
This is the opening paragraph to the Declaration of Independence. It set in motion a movement monumental in global impact. One impetus back then was the belief that New World citizens were being taxed without representation and without seeing any benefit of their taxes. Does that point ring true in Augusta today? Many see the concentration of tax dollar expenditures going to “downtown,” that region bordered by the river on the north, 15th Street on the west, East Boundary on the east and this is a stretch, but Gordon Highway to the South.
“They should declare the causes which impel them to the separation”
I searched long and wide but could find no representation showing the geographical allocation of tax dollar spending by county district for any period, nor any classification and appropriation of tax spend (property, SPLOST, E-SPLOST, TIA, sales tax). I am not foolish enough to think there would be any semblance of equality of spend between districts. Frankly, the county fired the only person who might have been able to put that data together. I recognize the infrastructure needs are greater in the inner city than in outlying districts. But when I have seen projects, such as multiple revitalization of downtown, golf gardens, downtown parking expansion, Broad Street redo, green space on the canal, TEE Center, RiverWatch and on and on “ad nauseam,” I start to see a pattern. The brutal fight in 2017 to try and move the James Brown Arena out to South Augusta at Regency is the most stark example where 43% voted to do so, but the big guns had been called out. If that isn’t a city divided, I don’t know how to define it.
Taxation without representation doesn’t apply as we have commissioners who represent each district, actually two per district with the two super districts. The issue is the outlying districts are a minority. And the mantra of “one Augusta” has prevailed, even though the definition of that “One Augusta” means different things to different people.
Extreme situations require extreme measures like secession
What if, just what if contiguous residents of District 8, which borders north Burke County, opted to secede from Richmond County and join Burke County. Maybe not all residents, but a majority. The critical word is contiguous. Each property must touch another.
It Could Spread like Kudzu
And what if, just what if, contiguous residents of District 7, which borders Columbia County, opted to secede from Richmond County and join Columbia County. Maybe not all, but enough to hurt. Interestingly, all of Augusta National is in District 7.
And what if, just imagine, contiguous residents of District 3, which also borders Columbia County, opted to secede from Richmond County to join Columbia County. Maybe not all, but enough to hurt.
One Day we woke up and weren’t a city anymore
Such movement has the potential to shrink Augusta/ Richmond County’s population significantly with state funding implications. 2020 data shows a population of 202,081 with roughly 25,000 residents per district the goal. If total of the three districts defected, and I know that is extreme, it would amount to 37% of population. I would speculate a larger percentage of property tax dollars.
Precedent has been established
Before you poo poo the idea, I admit it would be messy. I admit it would be filled with legal hurdles. But, it has been done. It has been done in Georgia. Successfully!
A critical component is contiguous properties as defined here : https://law.justia.com/codes/georgia/2022/title-36/chapter-36/article-2/section-36-36-20/#:~:text=If%2C%20at%20the%20time%20annexation,or%20by%20the%20length%20of:
Here is a senate study on the process:
https://www.senate.ga.gov/sro/Documents/StudyCommRpts/2015AnnexationStudyCommitteeFINAL.pdf
Feasibility
It would take a ton of work and a team of lawyers to make such an effort happen. I would like to present to you the Independence of America required a war. A real war with bloodshed and death. For a district to leave Richmond County there would be a war, albeit bloodless.
It would take the kind of money residing on the Hill, National Hills, Augusta National Golf Club and Martinez to finance.
But I can speculate with great confidence that such an effort, if successful, would equal the first Domino falling, with a cascade to follow.
Alternatives with the same effect.
The neighborhood of Summerville has considered incorporating as a separate city. The results would be the same.
So if you are out there feeling frustrated about local government, if you dislike where and how your tax dollars are being spent, don’t think there is no alternative. If you are like me, you have invested heavily in your home, made it comfortable, and have no desire to move. But if the way tax dollars are allocated, where they are allocated, the condition of your streets, the lack of right of way maintenance, etc., start to tick you off, if you see the local SPLOST tax, E-SPLOST Tax, TIA tax, property tax, sales tax, auto tag tax, auto purchase sales tax and wonder why this city/county isn’t spic and span, you are not alone.
Are you willing to “go to war”?
If you heard of an effort such as listed above that involved you, would you be willing to work to make it happen? Or would you be a shrinking violet? Would you sign a petition or cower in fear of retribution. With no risk to life or limb, would you have the fortitude to stand against wrong and neglect to elect to be a party of an appreciated group?
There comes a time when people must decide. The time may be near.
If that decision is in front of you. What will you do? Will you be courageous, or cowardly?
“A coward dies a thousand times, a hero dies but once.”
