Where did Georgia's surplus of funds go?

Regarding your March 22 editorial, "Raise cigarette tax." I noticed you forgot to include the tax proposal on alcohol that our so-called Republican governor also would like to increase. It has become easy to pass on "sin taxes" to allow the government's unrestrained spending to continue.

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Why don't you do a little homework before coming out in favor of new taxes? Your reporter, David Williams, reported in both March and April of 2002 that our state representatives passed "overwhelmingly" the $16.1 billion 2003 budget for Georgia.

What he and all other reporters failed to mention was the state of Georgia only took in $13.6 billion in revenues. Do the math - there's a shortfall. The legislators knew what was being collected, they just chose to ignore it and pass their massive spending bills with "our money."

In addition, no reports have ever surfaced about what former Gov. Roy Barnes did with the $740 million state general fund surplus. Again, Dave Williams reported in a Jan. 9, 2002, article that this state has a surplus ...

My questions are simple; Where did it go? How did we get into a deficit so fast?

I am sick and tired of always hearing that the new tax is going to help the elderly, the children, the underprivileged, etc. Well what about helping the average taxpayer? The state, as well as federal and local governments have to really start to reduce waste and living within their means just like us citizens.

It's our money and we, the taxpayers, had better wake up and tell all these politicians to stay the hell out of our pockets. There is a tax revolution coming, and these politicians better be ready to defend their habits.

Dan Rutensky, Augusta