If Commissioner (Harry) Johnston plans to continue bailing out Bobo, then it’s more than “interesting” to transfer SPLOST money to the general fund — it’s useless. It is to no advantage to the taxpayer to transfer money from one account to another — especially after the money has been raised from two income streams to pay for the same capital expenses. This is not reimbursement — its double taxation.
It’s only worthwhile to the taxpayer if the commissioners shift the money and reduce property taxes. If the county had been paying for the public safety vehicles since 2006 out of the SPLOST V fund as it should have been, a property tax increase would not have been necessary last year.
Instead the county has been paying for the capital investments out of the General Fund, while collecting sales tax for the same purposes. It’s time to stop collecting sales tax as a slush fund for the commissioners. Commissioner Johnston, do you really not get it?
Of course we want the SPLOST money to pay for the projects for which they were designated. What we don’t want is for the items to be paid for twice, once from the General Fund and once from the SPLOST money.
Carolyn Cosby is right. Any remaining money raised from the public safety vehicles from SPLOST V should be immediately placed in the General Fund to reduce property taxes and not Bobo’s pockets.
It’s the only justifiable reason to transfer the money since we have been double-taxed for the same items.
Bill McNiff
Nelson
I would like to see Mrs. Cosby to be forthright about her own financial debacle and then explain to us how she should be considered to be such an expert on advising the county on financial matters.
Where are your campaign contribution reports? You don't get a pass because you paid for them yourself, or lost the election.
As to Cosby, I think she ought to seek sanctuary among her gay-hating friends in Maine. There is no justification for the majority of her (or yours, for that matter) comments, as they are hurting, not helping the citizens of this county.
Your group is intentionally causing harm by the negative publicity our county is receiving, which scares off many new residents, and most certainly any legitimate businesses who are interested in a new location.
Cosby's comments which attempt to tie the Aquatic Center project to "diversity" are also damaging to the impression we give others.
Stop while you're ahead. The Bobo issue most certainly needs to be addressed, that's not at question. We need to allow our commissioners to resolve this in a reasonable manner, and you're not helpful--at all.