I found the recent article by Preston Sparks ("Merger, bond could be linked") to be very interesting and informative.

It says that the consolidation of Columbia County would generate "franchise fees" that would be received, and that those fees would pay for $30 million or $35 million bond without a millage increase. At the recent consolidation meeting, the question was asked about whether or not the fees would be tacked onto the citizens' utility bills. The answer received was "no!"

Since then, a county publication has stated that there would be a "pass through" of about 3 percent on natural gas and telephone bills. It would appear that this fee would be in lieu of the millage increase, but still would be extracted from the citizens of Columbia County. Like the "stormwater fee," it would be a tax that is not deductible as a tax.

What is even more interesting is the lists of projects that all this money is wanted for. Fourteen of them are stormwater-related projects. Many of the projects would give the appearance of bailing out the contractors who were allowed building permits in areas that were known to be problem areas. One that immediately comes to mind is the William Few Parkway area, where houses were built on low land between two drainage ditches. If all this money is needed for stormwater projects, then one would have to ask: Where did all the money go that was collected for stormwater runoff?

A citizen oversight committee needs to be formed to look at where the monies have gone, and why the commissioners want all this money for pet projects. That committee should be made up of those not connected to the county government in any way.

Bob Cipperly, Evans