By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Irresponsible spending led to county's debt
Letter to editor
lettereditor

Editor, Great headline in Wednesday’s paper, “1% sales tax would pay off half of the debts.” Why do we have any debts at all? Now, I remember. The Liberty County Board of Commissioners spent more money than they had, and now they expect the taxpayers to cover their ineptitude.  

I still want to know why we need such an elaborate monument to justice with marble floors and fancy woodwork. By the way, a little birdie told me that the judges “required” the new building. Since when do judges run the county? When are the planes landing on the extended runway at MidCoast Regional Airport? Are they passenger planes or military? What planes exactly will use this extended runway?  

Maybe the Georgia Department of Audits found no problem with the county’s finances. That still doesn’t mean the board can put us in debt for their foibles. Commissioners Chairman Donald Lovette might finally understand the lack of confidence that we have in how the county spends our hard-earned money.

It’s not that we do not have confidence in the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax, but we do not have confidence in the county commissioners to spend our money wisely. Shouldn’t the family entertainment center have been built before the Justice Center? After all, an entertainment center would benefit more people than the Justice Center or an extended runway. The commissioners just don’t understand priorities that benefit the majority of county residents.

If the voters approve SPLOST, it will be a signal to the county commissioners that they can spend or overspend on their pet projects. The commissioners need to get their house in order before the voters support more taxes. The commissioners should not take on more projects than can be paid for within a budget that doesn’t include more debt.

Thomas Sowell, an economist at Stanford University, said, “The real goal should be reduced government spending, rather than balanced budgets achieved by ever-rising tax rates to cover ever-rising spending.”
 
Len Calderone
Midway

Sign up for our e-newsletters