If you don't think you've gotten your money's worth from taxes, vote no

Editor:

There seems to be remarkably little discussion of the soon-to-be-voted-on Ron Cross Bottomless Barrel o' Pork. Well, other than The News-Times' haughty editorial dismissing concerns about the highly aromatic Bowen Pond deal.

What's in the BBo'P for voters? Not much. Not for voters at large, that is; people living in McMansions surrounding their private McLake and private little McNational get to stick it to taxpayers for cleanup. A million bucks, if there are no overruns. Yeah, that can happen. These same downtrodden citizens need bigger, better, longer ramps at the lake to launch their McYachts. It's in there. The county seems to be in critical need of more soccer fields, too. I'm certain Mr. "Burn this suit, I touched a commoner!" Cross is figuring out a way to keep out the hoi polloi there, too, while having their parents pay for it.

Will the money be well spent that is supposed to benefit the community at large, instead of the Chosen Ones? I think not. Boss Cross and his sycophants declared a 60 percent win in the primary as a "landslide." But when a "landslide" of 60 percent say they want Doctors Field left untouched, what was Cross' response? In effect: I'll cut it up when I get the money. This tax is that money. They want to raise $43 million in taxes... at least this week. It started as $37 million, went to $40, and may go to... who knows by the time they're done ladling out the gravy?

They opened with great fanfare the amphitheater like it was some magnanimous gesture on their part - ignoring we paid for it. There was a lot less publicity saying the bathrooms would be $275,000 extra. Presumably, these super-potties will have gold fixtures, and I suspect, on what must be teak doors will be lettered "Commissioners and Developers." Out back will be a simpler structure of rough-cut boards with a moon shape cut into the door lettered simply "Public." Wasn't it under their watch and their same anointed developers the Savannah Rapids Pavilion was built, seemingly with cardboard, as the entire roof structure is collapsing and must be replaced after only two years?

Before we vote to give these clowns more money to pass out as largesse to their developer masters, ask some questions. The first question: How much are they really going to spend, that is, how many "bathrooms not included" projects are tucked away in this bill? What will it really cost me? I ask because they say it will be X amount of dollars on a $100,000 house - yeah, but they reassess property seemingly on a daily basis. What will it cost in five years, 10 years, down the line? One good final question is this: by their figures, published in The News-Times, tax collections have gone up 50 percent. Do you think you've gotten your money's worth? If not, vote against their bottomless pork barrel.

Dave Stewart Sr.

Grovetown