It looks like a bad SPLOST VI deal between the city and the county is about to be consummated.  The county has offered to give the city more than twice as many dollars (an additional $12.5 million) than provided by the SPLOST VI ballot language that won our 70 percent approval.  Depending on actual SPLOST VI collections the ballot would have given the city, over five years, between $9 million and $11,797,500 (4.29% of SPLOST VI). But, now the maximum SPLOST VI collection to be realized by the city is $24,297,500.

During the city/county SPLOST VI discussions the city never offered less than its original $50 million demand, and because the city did not get the $50 million, it convinced a judge to rule against the SPLOST VI implementation on a procedural basis, although the judge found the 4.29% city share to be legal.  And, apparently that judge’s decision to stop SPLOST VI implementation can be reversed by a signal from the city.

How can the new city SPLOST VI share be legal?  We voted for a maximum $11,797,500 share for the city. If the ballot had indicated a $24,297,500 share for the city I would have voted against it.

I see no city needs more important than identified county needs that should cause the county to give the city more SPLOST VI funds than the state required 4.29% share.

$10 million of the $12.5 million gift to the city is to come from the $100 million “Recreation and Green Space” bond we also passed by a 70% vote, allowing the spin to say the city will not really receive $12.5 million additional SPLOST VI funds because $10 million is really coming from the “Recreation and Green Space” bond.  But, I think that is just a subterfuge.

I also believe the Board of Commissioners broke faith with county voters on the bond vote.  We voted for a $100 million “Recreation and Green Space” bond that included $10 million for an aquatic center.  I do not believe county voters envisioned that the $10 million would be donated to the city for the city to build, own and control an aquatic center on Pilgrim Mill Road.

An argument is made that we will lose several months of SPLOST VI funds if we do not make this deal with the city.  Maybe, but why would the city be so anxious to also forgo several months of SPLOST VI money?  Of course, if SPLOST VI collections were delayed for several months the 1% tax burden on Forsyth County citizens would also be removed for that same period of time.  We do need the projects identified for SPLOST VI, but there would be no crisis caused by the delay.

I am disappointed that the Board of Commissioners made a political rather than a principled decision on this issue.  Decisions in dealings with the city similar to this one over the past 20 years have cost the county maybe $50 million, and this decision fails to break the precedent for similar county losses over the next 20 years.