T-SPLOST approval means lost money

Grocery taxes would go up to 4 percent on every dollar spent. In most counties, taxes of 8 percent would be applied and collected on utilities, general purchases and possibly in 2013 adding some services and Internet purchases.

This new tax would be a nightmare for retailers, since it requires separate sales and use tax reporting. (See lines 762-768 of House Bill 277.)

The transportation ballot referendum is intentionally written to be vague and confusing. It does not make any reference to the 2010 Transportation Investment Act, nor mention this is another SPLOST issue. In addition to this new tax, we will continue to pay the current state fuel tax on gasoline. This tax nets Georgia close to $1 billion annually per the 2013 Georgia budget revenue figures. Another unmentioned item on the ballot is that TIA authorizes a quasi-government unelected level of 12 Georgia regional commissions to spend the anticipated $18.6 billion and to manage