The Cobb Taxpayers Association, (CTA) a local taxpayers group representing the interests of taxpayers in Cobb County, Georgia, expressed gratitude that a number of candidates in this year’s races for the county’s Board of Commissioners (BOC) oppose the 30-year, $11 billion transit tax, referred to as the Moblility SPLOST or MSPLOST.
Franklin Roundtable is working with CTA and a coalition of like-minded groups and citizens to oppose the 30-year tax.
Lance Lamberton, Chairman, Cobb Taxpayers Association
The tax was approved by a by a majority of commissioners and will likely be placed on this November’s general election ballot. The ballot measure, which would increase the county’s sales tax burden from 6% to 7%, would increase the level of service for mass transit with the increased tax levy, which would be imposed over the next 30 years.
On the Democrat side, Sheila Edwards, who is running to replace Lisa Cupid as the BOC’s Chairwoman, and Yashica Marshall, who is running against District 4 incumbent Commissioner Monique Sheffield, have both taken unequivocal positions against the sales tax which is being supported by their incumbent opponents.
On the Republican side, Kay Morgan, who is running for BOC Chair, opposes the transit tax, along with Pam Reardon, who opposes the transit tax and is running as a “qualified” candidate in the District 2 seat currently held by Commissioner Jerica Richardson. Reardon is running within the district lines established by the BOC under its claim of “Home Rule.” This is a unique and controversial legal gambit, designed to keep Richardson in her current seat by negating the district lines established by the state legislature and signed into law by Gov. Brian Kemp. The new district would have removed Richardson from office since she would no longer reside within the new district lines.
Also running for District 2 commissioner as a Republican and opposing the transit tax is Alicia Adams, who lives within the district lines established by the legislature under the authority of the Georgia Constitution, but who has, as of this writing, been denied ballot access under the claim of Home Rule authority. Her challenge to that claim is pending before the Supreme Court of Georgia.
Chairman and founder of CTA Lance Lamberton said, “CTA is heartened that four candidates from both major political parties have challenged the political establishment in its attempt to impose an incredibly wasteful and counterproductive tax increase that would do nothing to improve mobility within the county, but would actually make traffic congestion worse.”
Lamberton went on to say: “The fact that this boondoggle is being opposed by candidates of both parties speaks volumes that this is not an issue of Democrat versus Republican, rich versus poor, black versus white, or young versus old, but an issue of fiscal responsibility versus fiscal irresponsibility. No matter what bucket we find ourselves in, we all struggle to make ends meet in today’s challenging economy, and increasing our tax burden only exacerbates that challenge.”
The Cobb Taxpayers Association was established in 2005 to represent the interests of taxpayers in Cobb County and now has a membership of several hundred grassroots activists. It is part of a coalition of organizations, including Franklin Roundtable, that have coalesced to oppose the transit tax. For more information, go to: www.cobbtaxpayer.com