Postponed TSPLOST Proves Divisive

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Evelyn calls TSPLOST and all forms of SPLOST, socialism in its purest form, technically speaking, the redistribution of wealth. In the spring, Georgians will have the opportunity to decide whether they want more SPLOST or not. During the Primaries, a TSPLOST referendum will likely be on the ballot. TSPLOST is in many ways like the other Special Option Sales Taxes Georgia and her counties collect. The difference, though is that TSPLOST is specifically earmarked for transportation projects.

In the August Special Session of the Georgia Legislature, Governor Nathan Deal sought a decision to change the voting date of the TSPLOST referendum. However, according to an August 24th press release, Deal did not want to prolong the session longer than necessary. The governor initially intended to vote to postpone a vote on TSPLOST

“to allow as many taxpayers as possible to participate in this important decision.”

But, he said the time in the special session was precious and didn’t want to take too much time to reach a consensus on changing the date.

“It’s best for taxpayers that we not let this special session drag on, “ he said, “Redistricting was our priority, and we have delivered a great product.”

But, as TSPLOST grows in the consciousness of the voters, the issue of the special transportation sales tax proves divisive. Pundits label the TSPLOST as The Tea Party versus The Chamber of Commerce. The Tea Party sees TSPLOST as another tax and The Georgia Chamber of Commerce, as a way to economic growth.

In a recent conversation with FYN, Georgia Chamber of Commerce Media Director Jocelyn Baker said that the chamber

“absolutely supports TSPLOST.”

Baker said that the chamber feels it will help foster economic development in the state by connecting communities and supporting commerce. Previously, on August 17th, the chamber announced the creation of a TSPLOST campaign team, which not only includes chamber members but also members of its affiliate The Georgia Transportation Alliance. The idea behind the campaign is to educate other county chambers and voters of the benefits of TSPLOST.

“As we travel throughout the state, talking to Georgians about what is needed to spur economic investment and job creation, transportation projects are always at the top of the list,”

chamber president and CEO Chris Clark said. Other county chambers, however, are not so quick to comment on the issue.

Executive President of the Pickens County Chamber of Commerce Denise Duncan commented,

“That issue is not something the board has discussed at any length at this time.”

Fannin County Chamber also said that it has not discussed the matter yet. Likewise, President of Gilmer County Chamber of Commerce Paige Green stated,

“The chamber is not at this time prepared to make a statement regarding TSPLOST. We will work diligently to educate our citizens in order for them to make an educated, personal decision.”

At the other end of the issue is The Tea Party. Director of the State of Georgia Tea Party Bill Evelyn calls TSPLOST and all forms of SPLOST, Socialism in its purest form, technically speaking, the redistribution of wealth. As Evelyn explains,

“TPSLOST is part of the United Nations’ Agenda 21 program. Agenda 21 is the integration of economic, social and environmental policies to reduce consumption and human population, achieve social equality, and to preserve and restore bio-diversity. Individual property rights are abrogated to the state and wealth redistribution in the means by which these objectives are accomplished.”

In a recent article, Evelyn quotes the first paragraph of The Agenda 21 document from the United Nations, which states:

“Agenda 21 is a comprehensive plan of action to be taken globally, nationally, and locally by organizations of the United Nations System Governments, and major groups in every area in which human impacts on the environment.”

Evelyn notes that the last four U.S. Presidents, including and perhaps especially Barack Obama, have

“issued Executive Orders to ensure compliance by the citizens of the United States,”

and also that

“Governor Nathan Deal is all in for the State of Georgia.”

He says that the tax money from TSPLOST, an expected revenue of $18.6 billion in the Atlanta region alone–the largest tax hike in Georgia history–, will in part be filtered from more affluent communities into poorer ones for mass transit projects in urban areas and to ensure “environmental sustainability.”

Agenda 21 came about in 1992 as result of an Earth Day Conference in Rio dejanero. At this time, then President George H. W. Bush signed an Executive Order for its implementation. On a local level, Agenda 21 comes under the guise ICLEI, which euphemistically stands for the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives. But, Agenda 21 is also known in other contexts as Comprehensive Planning, Growth Management, and Smart Growth. Scott Strzelezyk and Richard Rothschild from The American Thinker describe the program as an

“algamation of socialism and extreme environmentalism brushed with anti-American, anti-capitalistic overtones.”

Also, in a recent article, Mike Opelka says that people should be wary of the program, citing that

“In 1997, George Soro’s Open Society gave ICLEI a $2, 147,415 grant to support its local Agenda 21 project.”

But, more pointedly Opelka warns that Agenda 21 and all its environs threaten the following areas of our lives: private property ownership, single family homes, privately owned farms, and private car ownership and individual travel choices. Now, the latter, here, seems to tie ominously in with the TSPLOST issue, since by its very nature the tax is earmarked for transportation.

One organization named by Evelyn associated with Agenda 21 is Georgia’s Economic Development (Affiliation or Association), better known as the EDA. EDA’s mission is
to

“establish linkages between economic development and environmental quality,” through the “Global Climate Changes Incentive Fund.”

Evelyn notes that Congress authorized $246 million to the EDA for FY2011. The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) is another organization linked to Agenda 21. ARC’s mission is to

“improve the health and welfare of its people and to protect the environment.”

According to Evelyn, the funds for ARC are filtered into The Highway Trust Fund. Congress authorizes $470 million dollars to this fund per year for planning and environmental preservation projects.

For these reasons, Evelyn encourages voters to vote no on TSPLOST. His blogs and articles provide a counter-campaign to that of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. Where the Georgia Chamber of Commerce sees TSPLOST as a way to foster commerce and economic development, Evelyn and The State of Georgia Tea Party see it as yet another tendril of Agenda 21 and

“a slush fund for big government politicians that want to award friends and constituents to ensure campaign contributions and rewards” Evelyn calls it “redistribution of wealth, “ and says it feeds big government and “big government leads to big corruption and graft.”

If Georgia’s Chamber is right in the benefits of TSPLOST, then Georgia can anticipate an upswing of economic growth and the prospect of lower unemployment rates. However, if Evelyn and the Tea Party are right about the detriment of the tax, then Georgia (and perhaps the nation) is another step closer to an Orwellian world of big brother, which in the novel 1984 shows the evil of totalitarianism. In his essay, Politics vs. Literature Georgia Orwell writes,

“There is a perception that one of the aims of totalitarianism is not merely to make sure that people are thinking the right thoughts but actually to make them less conscious.”

We can only hope that debating the TSPLOST and all other issues will make voters more conscious resulting in liberty, economic freedom, and the virtue of truth.

Currently, a date for a TSPLOST vote will be voted in the July 2012 session. However, according to Governor Deal’s office, Georgia Legislature can vote to change the date when it meets in January.

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