Cronyism in politics and commerce may begin with whispered deals in smoke-filled corridors, but evidence suggests that Cumming Mayor Ford Gravitt, the city council, Commissioner Brian Tam and Commissioner Patrick Bell fail to understand the complex nature of the water war they started between the citizens of Forsyth County and the City of Cumming. Pity the tax raiser in this economic environment though. Make no mistake about it, the Mayor of Cumming, Brian Tam, and Patrick Bell are raising taxes on Forsyth County citizens.

District 2 Commissioner re-elect Brian Tam and District 4 lame duck Commissioner Patrick Bell are lobbying on behalf of Mayor Gravitt to raise taxes. District 1 Commissioner Pete Amos has recused himself <applause> and District 3 Commissioner Todd Levent and District 5 Commissioner Jim Boff are fighting for the citizens of Forsyth County to prevent tax increases.

A tax is a financial charge or other levy imposed on an individual or a legal entity by a government authority. It can be direct or indirect. Make no mistake that Mayor Gravitt's hard line stance on the water contract is his desire to impose higher costs of water on the citizens of Forsyth County. All public sector bureaucracies are “tax eaters” that “feast” on the assets of the ordinary taxpayer. This is exactly what is occurring before your eyes. 

It is Brian Tam and Patrick Bell with statutory authority to raise taxes that insist the citizens of Forsyth County pay the $11.4 million invoice for the water intake upgrades done over the past few years. Our county attorney advises that there is absolutely no obligation for Forsyth County citizens to pay it. This $11.4 million payment is a direct one-time tax on the citizens of Forsyth County. 

In a recent move Mayor Gravitt has threatened to cut off raw water to Forsyth County and provide all the finished water 18.5 Million Gallons per Day (MGD) to the citizens of Forsyth County. Mayor Gravitt seeks to boost his revenues in two ways; raising the price of raw water and/or supply all the finished water to the county. Mayor Gravitt seeks to raise his raw water revenues from approximately $511,000 (14 MGD at $0.10 cents per thousand gallons) to $12,775,000 by charging $2.50 cents per thousand gallons for that 14 MGD. If the county does not agree to this tax hike the Mayor will cut-off raw water supplies and pump only finished water to the citizens of Forsyth County. That would mean a revenue boost to $44,995,000 (18.5 MGD at $2.43 cents per thousand gallons) even though Forsyth County finishes that water at $0.52 cents per thousand gallons in its Antioch Water Treatment Plant. 

The Mayor, Commissioner Brian Tam, and Commissioner Patrick Bell want Forsyth County citizens to go from paying on average in 2011 $4,400,000 million per year for it's water to potentially $44,995,000. This is a massive tax hike that the citizens of Forsyth County have no obligation to pay. Contact your Commissioner to stop this tax hike.