Early voting starts today

Voting YES insures that our sewer, water, roads and bridges continue to be maintained. Let's keep our systems operating so we can continue our steady growth. This creates JOBS and keeps our property taxes low. This is not a new tax. It is a continuation of the 1% tax that is already in place. Why would you vote any other way than YES?

blues550, I can't agree with you more, your right on track. If anyone lives in the Bungalo Rd. area? Just remember the road project there and how long it took to complete. I wonder what the project cost the good citizens and tax payers of Augusta? The expansion of I-520 from Hwy 56 to South Carolina was completed in about the same amount of time, and probably at less expense to the citizens of Augusta. Its time we moinitor wasteful spending of public money and say no to special intrest groups use of tax payers money.

VOTE NO. They put a stupid project in there, so too bad, NO!!

I'm all for voting yes, until I read the 2.5 million for Paine College Complex. Why is the tax payers having to pay for the Complex?

MJDW, I have the same question. Paine is a PRIVATE institution. How much has Augusta/RC contributed to Augusta State?

The Regency Mall lake idea absolutely ridiculous. Vote NO.

MJDW - Ditto from me. BTW, what is the plan for the land downtown where the Golf Hall of Fame gardens was located?

Transferring taxpayer money to the Paine College trustees to build a classroom building is atrocious. Vote NO.

So you have no problem with money going to the Augusta Symphony but you do with Paine? I wonder why. I guess it is okay to spend public money on a private ball park?

Transferring $6 million to the Augusta Symphony (with a portion designated to go from Symphony to Tyrone Brooks' private "Mini Theatre") is criminal. Vote NO.

Interesting idea, ColCamp. The downtown baseball stadium is not included in the SPLOST referendum. So all of you who are in favor of the downtown ballpark should vote NO on the SPLOST so you can twist your commissioner's arm to put it on the revised list once this one fails.

$85,000 just to hold this special election for only one issue, SPLOST pork. It is worth voting NO just to send a message to the commission to stop holding these special elections.

VOTE No-To money being spent on Augusta Symphony,to Paine College,to any thing to do with M.C.G.they should pay off the debt that was fronted not the tax payer dont get that one at all.And last double No to lake at Regency Mall.You say 3.5million for that.And how much more to buy the property? wake up tax payers.They will use scare tacktics-like if you dont vote yes your property tax will go up.It already does.I've always voted yes but not this time.NO-NO-NO Also to the ball park H-wl NO.

Thank god for these comments. My group, the Libertarian Party of the CSRA are the only ones out there fighting this. We have had three protests already. If you look who is pushing this thing (Janie Peel) you will see why they want a yes vote. A commercial real estate company owner? Conflict of interest perhaps? You need to catch up, we've been protesting for weeks. Not going down without a fight.... up for a debate Janie?

There should be no transfer of taxpayer money to private institutions! It's called "corporate welfare" and most people rightfully have a dim view of it when the federal government does it for banks and automakers.
Many people say that "It's only a penny, so what's the big deal?". Actually, folks, it's 18.5 BILLION pennies - that's BILLION with a B - being taken out of the pockets of everyone who shops in the county. And like all sales taxes, it hurts the poor the most.
So, yeah, why should poor people in Richmond Co have to fork over their pennies so that the Augusta Symphony and the Imperial Theater can get big subsidies and so that Paine College won't have to go its large alumni association to raise money for a new classroom building.
If the commission thinks that these projects are worthwhile, let them put each project before the voters individually and see which projects the voters approve - if any at all - on their own merits.

I see you did allow one of my comments to post on here.What happen to the other one?Stop being so touchie.I did'nt even you any cuss words.

OK I DID NOT SAY ANY CUSS WORDS.Still think the connissioners are thieves in suits.

Also, be aware that if these SPLOST projects are approved, your property taxes will go up. The maintenance and operation costs for these public works and infrastructure projects will not - can not, by law - be paid for with SPLOST revenue; they must be paid out of general revenue, ie, property taxes! And it has been extimated that maintenance and operation costs over a 20 year period can be 10 times higher than the construction costs which are expected to be paid for by SPLOST. So if anyone tries to scare you into voting for SPLOST by threatening that your property taxes will go up if this referendum fails, ask them where the county will get the neverending revenue stream to maintain and operate the projects if the referendum passes.

Totsalot69 - all politicians are thieves in suits!

Augustalibertarian...... do I know you?

The only thing I'd vote for is funding for the new police vehicles and fire trucks. Wish we could pick and choose...95% of these projects are ludicrous.

triscut, the police cars you could bout with the money? 238 fully equipped 2009 crown victorias, radar, radio, lights, prison partitions, everything. Unmarked are about 3K cheaper. That seems like a bunch of cars.

We can pick and choose, by making them do it over again and again until they get it right. 67% of this IS infrastructure, not the 93% advertised. I got that right off the augusta ga website. Most voters arent going to that length

Went there.Still saying NO.Still to much crap on this SPLOST.

No, you should say no, there is too much crap. If we lower our tax back down, we become more competative as a county.

Already voted no. I'm all fer maintaining infrastructure, but the Miller theatre.. that has private enterprise written all over it. And if commissioners think building a lake next to a derelict mall will spur development, I'd like to invite them to jump in said lake. It'll just be another mosquito farm.

yep!!!

AtcTaylor is correct. A NO vote on this SPLOST would allow time for reflection to get it right. Surely we must tell them NOT to allow our taxpayer dollars to be transferred to private organizations.

Maybe if we vote the SPLOST down, the next proposal might contain an item to improve the paving at the railroad tracks at Riverwatch Parkway & Martin Marietta.