Editor, You have seen all the articles from our state and local government officials on how great TSPLOST will be for you. I suggest you research the Internet and find out what others are saying about TSPLOST.

Do you want another tax for 10 years on all of your purchases? We already are paying 1 cent on the dollar local SPLOST for the local government to use on special projects without the taxpayer voting where they would like to spend the money.

TSPLOST will collect 1 cent on the dollar for all sales in Georgia from all the regions that vote the tax in. If it is needed for roads, put the taxes on gas and auto purchases and don’t tax people on their staples. But I see a lot of politicians’ special projects to build resumes at our tax expense, like a fire station, master plan/airport layout plan, Coastal Coaches regional rural transit system, bike/pedestrian improvements, Chatham Area Transit operations and capital. Are these projects we need to increase our taxes for 10 years?

Local government is advising how it will help the area with jobs, but I see contractors outside of the county and the state being awarded the contracts, not local contractors.

TSPLOST is the largest tax hike in Georgia’s history, expected to raise $18.6 billion in the Atlanta region itself. It amounts to the largest redistribution of wealth from the taxpayer to the state for road, rail and environmental sustainability projects.

The taxpayers should reject TSPLOST and work within communities to accomplish those needed projects. Make those decisions at the county level, where they can be monitored closely for corruption and greed. This will ensure more of the dollars collected actually go into those projects rather than to the cronies of politicians.

— John A. Tanner
Richmond Hill