I read with significant concern Mike’s statement that the county “…will be just fine going a few months at a 6% sales tax instead of 7%.” This translates to over $2.5 million per month in lost and non-recoverable revenue to our county, and depending upon how many months it takes to get a SPLOST in place, could amount to tens of millions of dollars.
The overall tone of my opponent’s article pointedly insists that the county absorb whatever multi-million dollar loss is necessary in order to avoid compromise of any nature. I disagree with this approach at every level. I suspect that being a Forsyth County Commissioner requires some negotiation and people skills, as well as being to able to compromise on some things to get others. The article written by my opponent demonstrates a frightening lack of statesmanship.

Charlie,

Statesmanship is highly overrated.

Leadership, on the other hand, should be highly prized by an electorate starved for some. Compromising with dictators is nothing more than appeasement, and appeasement never works; never has - never will.

There are times when compromise can work. This is NOT one of them. Remember that a successful appeal gets us 7% on July 1st. Even if we lose, the revenue is not LOST, it is merely DELAYED. As a supposed Republican, you should be all for being fiscally conservative, and a 9-month delay in revenue is not the end of the world to people who are fiscally conservative.

The voters spoke loudly in February. It is time for one or two fellow county commissioners to represent Forsyth County, and not the special interests of appeasement.

This coming from a man who just moments after the ruling was “taking this to the supreme court” before someone shut him up. Let’s face it, our elected leaders failed the over-whelming majorities of voters who voted for SPLOST!! And “statesmanship is highly over-rated”???? That is the kind of “hog-wash, LOOK AT ME” attitude that has cost the county millions of dollars towards projects we really need. That is a disgusting attitude. BTW Mr. Smith, you a just the next child the savior has talked down to, get used to it!!

Mike, I agree with you. The county should stand firm. The court case is just some more city mischief. The city has too long used a position of advantage to receive more sales tax funds than it deserved. The county can now stand up for what is right and end the long period of city funds injustice.

I do not understand why Forsyth County would give the city more SPLOST VI funds than the state required population percentage ($4.29%). I do not see the city’s needs being more important to Forsyth County citizens than the identified county needs.

This may cost the county some sales tax dollars, but it would also reduce the tax load on Forsyth County Citizens for the same period of time.