Sad attempts

Ah, Ernest Wilson ... so many inaccurate refutations, so little time.

- Is there any indication either of the proposals, or resulting compromises would have been imperfect? A statewide one-cent approach would generate large amounts of revenue needed to fill the massive gaps in funding our state has. A regional approach would have given local communities the ability to, first, determine if they wish to pursue a project and then set up a mechanism to provide for the funding of the project.

- The business community, by in large, is growing increasingly frustrated with the lack of action taken on the transportation front. And the longer it takes to resolve this problem, the more businesses are going to avoid relocating or expanding in Georgia. Taking action now - after roughly four years of failed attempts - would soothe fears, reassure the business community and provide an early incentive to locate in Georgia.

- Plus, isn't there something fundamentally wrong in saying 'no problem, we'll fix it next year' ... primarily because that's what politicians always say? I mean, haven't we heard year-in and year-out that transportation would be 'fixed' and we haven't jack done yet?

- If Wilson is encouraging folks to avoid using toll roads, how is that helping anything? It would probably result in larger budget shortfalls, defaulting on bonds taken out to finance projects and an increase in traffic on roads not equipped to handle such loads. It seems to me that Wilson just unwittingly pointed out all the shortcomings of relying solely on toll roads to fund statewide transportation efforts.

- Just because the Georgia Power bill was 'bipartisan' doesn't mean it's not an awful bill.

- Also, you can pretend it's a sound investment in a long-term energy strategy for Georgia, but doing so would require that you ignore Georgia Power's actual admission that the majority of the rate hike will go directly to its shareholders.

- Notice, however, no attempt to dispute the fact that Rep. Bob Smith voted to scrap the Homeowner's Grant Program, thus raising your property taxes by roughly $300.

- Finally, I am upset that Smith and his buddies failed to take a mature approach to solving our transportation crisis, thus shortchanging us yet again on this matter. And I'm upset that he felt it was more appropriate to vote to raise fees, raise property taxes and cut the capital gains tax, with the latter sending 92 percent of its benefits to the wealthiest five percent in the state.