FOR OR AGAINST NEXT COBB SPLOST (1% sales tax) on 3/15/11?

[cobbler]

http://wsbradio.com/localnews/2011/01/cobb-co-splost-fight.html#comments Recent news article about the upcoming vote

http://www.cobbsplost2011.org/ Details on planned expenditures

Do you support or oppose the next Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax which will add a 1% sales tax to purchases in Cobb County? There is presently a SPLOST that will run out at the end of 2011 and this new one will replace it. This and the one currently in place are separate from the CC School District SPLOST. The County states:

"The 2011 SPLOST is intended to address the immediate needs of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs, Transportation, Facilities (Libraries, Senior Services, Judicial and Public Health) and Public Safety that affect the future of Cobb County. The SPLOST will be in effect from January 1, 2012 through December 31, 2015 for a 4 year period."

 

[newsjunky]

I don't live in Cobb so it is hard to say. If it includes Judicial I think I would lean toward voting for it. You don't want the courts to slow down if they have too much cut from their budgets. I think statewide that has already happened.

 

[Foxmeister]

I don't live there either, but I certainly could understand the need to renew it.

 

[Grey Colson]

I guess as an employee of Cobb County I should recuse myself from comment. I can't speak for other divisions or offices of the county, but I know ours is taking deliberate steps to cut back on the budget. Sure we were spoiled for years and it isn't fun, but I would say 99% of the employees understand it, expect more of it and are just happy to be employed.

You have that 1 or 2% that whine, but they'd be whining if you handed them hundred dollars bills when they clocked in. :'(

 

[Blazing Saddles]

I never like tax increases.

 

[Winchester]

I will always support a SPLOST over a property tax increase. It will be one or the other, take your pick!

 

[Whoa Willie]

I never like tax increases.

By default I vote no on any tax increase.

 

[unionmom]

I will always support a SPLOST over a property tax increase. It will be one or the other, take your pick!

::ditto and it seems the voters in Cobb (barely) agree.

 

[Foxmeister]

It only passed by 79 votes. I also heard only 4,500 voters went to the polls.

 

[Guard Dad]

I never like tax increases.

By default I vote no on any tax increase.

^^This^^

Though I live in Paulding, so I can't vote on that one anyway.

 

[Guard Dad]

It only passed by 79 votes. I also heard only 4,500 voters went to the polls.

That's pretty sad.

 

[MacDaddy]

It only passed by 79 votes. I also heard only 4,500 voters went to the polls.

That's pretty sad.

Boortz had a few choice things to say about it this morning.

I'm pretty jaded about county taxes these days. Had a go round a couple of years ago about property taxes in Gwinnett, even spoke with the commissioner (who recently resigned to avoid indictment). Left me with a pretty bad taste about accountability. I figure they are going to get more money, continuously, one way or the other.

 

[Guard Dad]

It only passed by 79 votes. I also heard only 4,500 voters went to the polls.

That's pretty sad.

Boortz had a few choice things to say about it this morning.

I'm pretty jaded about county taxes these days. Had a go round a couple of years ago about property taxes in Gwinnett, even spoke with the commissioner (who recently resigned to avoid indictment). Left me with a pretty bad taste about accountability. I figure they are going to get more money, continuously, one way or the other.

Accountability is my issue with them. Until government on all levels get their fiscal house in order, I am not willing to give them one more cent. To do so before they stop the bleeding is only pumping in more blood that will be lost.

 

[Grey Colson]

It only passed by 79 votes. I also heard only 4,500 voters went to the polls.

That's pretty sad.

Boortz had a few choice things to say about it this morning.

I'm pretty jaded about county taxes these days. Had a go round a couple of years ago about property taxes in Gwinnett, even spoke with the commissioner (who recently resigned to avoid indictment). Left me with a pretty bad taste about accountability. I figure they are going to get more money, continuously, one way or the other.

Boortz is turning into the Moon Bat that he likes to call everyone else lately.

For selfish reasons I was glad it passed. In other ways I wish it hadn't. I'm one of those who against tax increases, but if it's going to happen it needs to be a voter's decision. Again, I'm being a little selfish because I would have hated to see many of my friends get a pay cut or suffer lay offs. Any lay off would not affect me, but a pay cut would have.

I agree with another poster regarding the judicial system. Yes, it needs continued funding, as well as public safety. But IMHO, parks and such didn't need to be lumped in there. We could go without funding parks for a time until things improve.

We have not received any increase in salary for 3 years and don't expect to see one for 3 to 5 more. But, you know, the folks I work with have maintained a good attitude about it and have accepted it. We're just happy to continue our employment. To tell the truth, no one I have spoken to ith the county expected it to pass. I was actually shocked when I heard it this morning.

 

[Grey Colson]

It only passed by 79 votes. I also heard only 4,500 voters went to the polls.

That's pretty sad.

Boortz had a few choice things to say about it this morning.

I'm pretty jaded about county taxes these days. Had a go round a couple of years ago about property taxes in Gwinnett, even spoke with the commissioner (who recently resigned to avoid indictment). Left me with a pretty bad taste about accountability. I figure they are going to get more money, continuously, one way or the other.

Accountability is my issue with them. Until government on all levels get their fiscal house in order, I am not willing to give them one more cent. To do so before they stop the bleeding is only pumping in more blood that will be lost.

I agree and I can only speak about my specific work area, but we have cut back to the bone. I couldn't tell you where the extra money is going because I obviously don't run the entire county. It's a weekly task to restrict any and all overtime. They have cut back on gas usage where possible, training, equipment, etc. We've had meetings just to come up with more ideas about where to cut and what we can do without.

As my boss said, we can't control every county department, but we can control ours and we WILL save money. I can only hope other agency heads feel the same and do their part.

 

[Foxmeister]

Wasn't this a renewal of their SPLOST? If so, then it can't be called a tax increase as it was asking for the total sales tax there to remain the same.

 

[Foxmeister]

It only passed by 79 votes. I also heard only 4,500 voters went to the polls.

That's pretty sad.

Boortz had a few choice things to say about it this morning.

I'm pretty jaded about county taxes these days. Had a go round a couple of years ago about property taxes in Gwinnett, even spoke with the commissioner (who recently resigned to avoid indictment). Left me with a pretty bad taste about accountability. I figure they are going to get more money, continuously, one way or the other.

Accountability is my issue with them. Until government on all levels get their fiscal house in order, I am not willing to give them one more cent. To do so before they stop the bleeding is only pumping in more blood that will be lost.

I agree and I can only speak about my specific work area, but we have cut back to the bone. I couldn't tell you where the extra money is going because I obviously don't run the entire county. It's a weekly task to restrict any and all overtime. They have cut back on gas usage where possible, training, equipment, etc. We've had meetings just to come up with more ideas about where to cut and what we can do without.

As my boss said, we can't control every county department, but we can control ours and we WILL save money. I can only hope other agency heads feel the same and do their part.

One thing to consider is the county's tax revenue has been greatly reduced with the foreclosures as those property taxes are going uncollected because there is nobody to collect them from. Paulding County is also experiencing the same problem because of foreclosures. The loss in revenue from uncollected property taxes is going to have an impact on the public schools as well.

 

[Guard Dad]

It only passed by 79 votes. I also heard only 4,500 voters went to the polls.

That's pretty sad.

Boortz had a few choice things to say about it this morning.

I'm pretty jaded about county taxes these days. Had a go round a couple of years ago about property taxes in Gwinnett, even spoke with the commissioner (who recently resigned to avoid indictment). Left me with a pretty bad taste about accountability. I figure they are going to get more money, continuously, one way or the other.

Accountability is my issue with them. Until government on all levels get their fiscal house in order, I am not willing to give them one more cent. To do so before they stop the bleeding is only pumping in more blood that will be lost.

I agree and I can only speak about my specific work area, but we have cut back to the bone. I couldn't tell you where the extra money is going because I obviously don't run the entire county. It's a weekly task to restrict any and all overtime. They have cut back on gas usage where possible, training, equipment, etc. We've had meetings just to come up with more ideas about where to cut and what we can do without.

As my boss said, we can't control every county department, but we can control ours and we WILL save money. I can only hope other agency heads feel the same and do their part.

Being a Cobb Cty vendor, I might benefit from it too. I will say that Cobb is probably one of the more responsible governments around. And typically very pleasant to work with...unlike some other governments around Atlanta.

 

[unionmom]

It only passed by 79 votes. I also heard only 4,500 voters went to the polls.

10.9% voter turnout is what is being reported

Obviously it wasn't a big deal for the vast majority of the citizens of Cobb.