I will be voting against continuing this tax. It seems like these short term tax additions are being taken for granted and are scheduled to go on forever. I remember GA 400 was going to be a toll road until paid for and now that it is paid for, the toll goes on and on. When government gets used to budgeting with these extra funds instead of staying in their allotted budgets, they can't seem to keep their hands out of my pocket. Scale back or do without, I have had to in the last few years and government needs to learn how to as well. No TSPLOST or ESPLOST votes to get more tax money if my vote will help stop them. Enough, scale back or cut out. No more "business as usual" for the good old boys of government. I VOTE NO!

For TSPLOST, by state law the one penny sales tax ends after ten years. Only by a vote by the public in 10 years will the sales tax continue. The GA 400 tolls are controled by SRTA and they only need a vote by that authority to continue. Comparing the two is irrelevant. Check out the 157 projects on ARC's website to verify the projects. They hit all of the hot spots and give a clear path to reduce congestion in metro Atlanta. Gwinnett's project list is a great mix of capacity and safety projects including intersection improvements, new interchanges, road widenings, new roads and the beginnings of a backbone for transit. This is our opportunity to fix traffic congestion in the region before business does by leaving the area.

"There are penalties if the public fails to approve next year's TSPLOST referendum." Those words conjure up extortion by authority to me. What say you, Mrs. C.? Those thirteen words alone are all the more reason to give TSPOLST a NO vote in 2012.

No way

If the splost is defeated who is going to pay for a new bridge over the railroad tracks at Dacula Rd and Winder Hwy? This bridge needed to be replaced in 1998 and the city of Dacula and Gwinnett County haven't done a thing! I don't like voting to tax ourselves especially since SPLOST first started in the early 90's and we stupidly keep voting to extend it instead of putting our elected officials feet to the fire but how else are we going to get these needed projects done? They can't be ignored any longer.

WHO paid for our road improvements before the SPLAT? SPLAT is the correct term. In this economy, Chris, Sheila, & Mr J have it right! NO NEW TAXES! We will do without these "improvements." SPLAT will only bring more traffic. "If you build it they will come!" The reason people are moving away from congested areas is because no one wants to live near I85 or I20 & now SPLAT wants to turn what is left of Gwinnett in to a MAJOR traffic grid! VOTE NO! Isn't it interesting that only NOW they are reporting that we will be penalized if we don't get on board the SPLAT wagon!!! It shows that they know they don't have enough votes & so they amp up the punishment for our opinion! We say NO CHUCKIE! Check to see which leaders have already bought up the land that the state will have to purchase & then you will see why some people are pushing this so HARD! Joe Frank owned the Hwy 316 land! If you don't have money in the bank only a fool goes out & spends more with out paying off his current debts! Extortion is correct Mr J. Continuing to play." I'm Blind to the reality of today's economy" is a fools game. When this SPLAT plan began we were not in this economy. Wise up & see it for what it is- an ill timed plan. I would also like an attorney to look into the legality of punishing a community for not wanting to play ball with the Atlanta big thugs! Let's put this terms easy to understand, "I can"t afford a new car but I don't punish my neighbor for not buying one for me! Educate & vote

I am all for it and will be voting a big fat YES!! I have also voted for the penny sales for the parks in the past, and being a major user of the parks in our county, it has been money very well spent. For those who choose to vote NO on this issue, my advice then is to keep your mouths shut, and suck it up when you are stuck in major traffic congestion.

Don’t worry, The sheeples will pay it .

The Lexus lanes (Rich Ditch) will be expanded to ALL major arteries as needed. Why support a project NOW when we’ll get double charged on it at a later date?

R You are a forward thinker. The RIch Ditch is here to stay. And in years to come I believe we shall also have to pay a toll for using our already paid for major highways in the state. Remember when they wanted to charge to use Hwy 316 and the bold Barrow county citizens said, "NOT IN OUR COMMUNITY! You see the writing on the roads. Say YES to this and soon each highway will become a toll road. If you don't believe this go back 10 years and imagine yourself at a party saying, "Hey lets pay $2 each day for using the fast lane in 85!" and see just how foolish you would sound. We pay to ride on 400. But fast forward and see if you can not imagine paying to ride on Hw I-285 and I-85 and I-75 and I-20 at a cost. Not so funny now is it? Sleeping citizens are the politicians best chance at raising your taxes.

The idea of being forced, or coerced, into voting for a tax is Marxists to me.
This is a ten year burden with billions of dollars to be placed at the hands of
numerous politicians who are already lacking in ethics, morals and aptitudes.
Anyone who believes those 157 projects will be completed without demands
for more money needs to read up on local, national and international finances.

I'm trying to get a comprehensive break-down of what the money would go for. I went to the Atlanta Regional Commissioner's website and looked at a map that showed where the construction would be, but couldn't get details on what that construction was, exactly.

Of special concern for me is the idea of funding Gwinnett Transit. I do have a problem paying my tax dollars for this.

Can anyone tell me where I can find more in-depth infor? Especially concerning the funding of mass transit.

Thanks
Sharon H.

R, did you borrow my term, or have you also been using it for years! I watched the traffic getting worse by the day until I could stand it no more....as of Monday, I ride the bus!
No more extra cost for the 'extortion lane'. No more cost of high gas and no more putting up with inconsiderate, ignorant drivers! I had enough!!

Cynthia, there is no fast lane on I85, just like there is no passing lane. Instead of 'slower traffic keep right', GA has 'slower traffic drive wherever the h@## you want, and read, text and eat at the same time! As someone who has driven in most of the Eastern US states, I have had enough....now I sleep and let the bus driver put up with morons on the road.

As a realtor, the first question I always my buyers is WHERE DO YOU WORK? Why would you want to buy a house one hour away from where you work? If you are concerned about the schools inside 285, no problem with the money you will save from gas cost, YOU CAN PUT YOUR CHILD INTO A PRIVATE SCHOOL! I do not want to pay for your decision to live an hour from your place of business! You choose to live out in the burps and along with that goes TRAFFIC and WAITING to get home. It is time to stop the foolish behavior of buying a home hours from where you live! I am so happy that smart voters said, NO LONGER WILL I BE PAYING FOR OTHERS POOR PERSONAL DECISIONS! SPLOT --- TSPLOT ---- OR ESPLOT, it is all the same, money given to people that can't even budget their own personal finances. I want great wonderful communities but giving money to a problem with bad plans and poor leaders will never solve any problem. To continue to build wider and wider roads is not the answer. Live -Work - Play is the answer. If ever person would live within 10 miles of their work things would DRAMATICALLY change. It will not happen over night but with more thinking like this we will see a change. Nobody is ever going to give up their car totally unless you live in NYC! We have a different problem. Quite trying to bring your solutions to a different set of issues. Thanks to everyone who voted NO to self taxation! Educate Yourself and VOTE! It works!!!

You know Cynthia, some of us who live out here do work in town, and we don't give a flip about your attitude. I don't ask for your help, your money or your opinion, so forgive me if I throw your comments in the garbage, where they belongs! Oh, and by the way, I ride the bus to work.

Jim, To each his own. If you want to live in this wonderful community & work an hour away then realize that is your decision, & I am not in favor of paying for wider and wider roads to help you get home sooner. Why don't you believe in a LIVE - WORK - PLAY lifestyle. There are the same stores, restaurants, quality neighborhoods &medical care inside of 285 & past Lenox, so WHY live an hour a day away from your place of business? If you choose to be TIED UP, it is YOUR choice! To ask your fellow citizens to encourage your choice by voting themselves a 1% lifetime tax increase to encourage your choice is selfish. It is wonderful to see the masses finally saying NO to OVERSPENDING and OVERBUILDING our communities. If they build it -we will NEVER stop paying for it. Don't believe me....I have been paying for overcrowded, ginormous,schools all because we drank the TSPLOT cool aid over 16 years ago. Glad to hear you ride the bus to work, I hear it is great. YOU PAY FOR YOUR RIDE because you are riding the bus! DON'T ask me to pay for your ride anymore that you would ask me to pay for any other cost of your day like your lunch or your suit. Personal responsibility is a lost mindset. Jim, you do ask me for my money so forgive me if I throw you comments back at cha. Mean comments will not scare the bill payers anymore! It is time we correct the traffic problem LIVE -WORK - PLAY or quit griping about your chosen long ride to & from work, it was your choice, not ours.

Jim,

Actually, riding the bus is alot different now than it used to be. The express buses have comfortable cloth seats, individual air and reading lights that remind me of flying, and make only limited stops. I take the bus from the Wal-Mart Park and Ride to Peachtree Center in about 45 minutes, and I don't have to drive! There are only a few people who ride, and many of us wear ties and suits.
IF we could have reliable public transportation like this to and from Atlanta, we would have much less traffic on the road.

R, one comment about the Lexus Lanes....the Gwinnett County Transit bus is currently $125 a month, and the Lexus Lane is part of the price! I used to spend almost $10. each day to ride in that lane, and still had people driving too slow or doing the other activities I outlined in an above post.

Jim Crowe,
i didn't let it bother me. I used to feel that way, until I started riding the bus and found that it gave me more money to buy new guns and more ammo! Silver lining, indeed!