Pro- and Anti-SPLOST VII Opponents Square Off in Debate

Pro- and anti-sales tax forces squared off Monday night to debate the merits of the $200 million SPLOST VII referendum Forsyth County residents will vote on Nov. 8.

Speaking to a standing-room-only crowd at the , David Seago, chairman of Citizens for Progress, encouraged voters to approve the special purpose local option sales tax (or SPLOST) that would fund a new courthouse, jail expansion, animal shelter and other infrastructure projects.

Seago stressed that SPLOST VII is not a new tax, but the latest in a series of SPLOSTs that began in 1983. He added that the project list was one based on "needs" not "wants" and that it had the unanimous approval of both the Board of Commissioners and Cumming City Council.

Speaking for the opposition, Forsyth County Tea Party founder Steve Voshall said this is the worst possible time to add or extend a tax on Forsyth County citizens who are suffering through the worst recession since the 1930s, highlighted by nine percent unemployment, record home foreclosures and runaway inflation.

Seago, who will become chairman of the Cumming-Forsyth County Chamber of Commerce next year, said the new courthouse and jail extension is badly needed and that visitors to the county would pay about 38 percent of the tax. He also said the jail expansion would pay for itself in 10 years.

"A lot of factors went into calculating that, including the cost of housing prisoners here as opposed to elsewhere and the transportation cost of moving them around, he said."

Voshall said the Tea Party's opposition is not about the jail, but about a tax increase that will last for six years and cost each Forsyth County family an additional $500 per year if approved.

"I was appalled to read where Mr. Seago said, one reason we must pass this tax now is because the county budget is so strained," Voshall said. He then asked attendees to raise their hands if they felt their family budget is strained. A large majority then raised their hands.

Voshall also said the study prepared for the county by the firm of Wakefield and Beasley showed that even the expanded jail would reach its capacity limit in 2023 and would be unable to expand further.

"Another reason we oppose it is because citizens were left out of the process," he said.

While proponents say the SPLOST has been discussed 14 times in work sessions and regular commission meetings, opponents say citizens have little or no opportunity to provide input at those meetings and that there were no public hearings where citizens would have had a chance to express their views.

The event was sponsored by the Forsyth County Republican Party and billed as a debate between Seago and Voshall.

The majority of the crowd appeared to be anti-tax as they applauded Voshall four times during the approximately 90-minute debate.

After it was over, SPLOST supporter Vince Currie said, "When we can get the things we need -- not wants but what needs -- and almost 40 percent of it is paid for by people outside our county, that is something we can't turn down in my opinion."

Hal Schneider said he opposes the tax because, "It is defined by Georgia law as a temporary tax. But it's become a permanent tax in this county and government has become reliant on it. At a time of serious recession, with families hurting, this is not the time to continue to saddle citizens with a permanent sales tax."