Why The Surtax Tax Increase, On the Ballot, is a Sham or a Scam


If you are voting in St. Johns County, Florida, you will see as the last item on the ballot where you can vote for a sales "surtax" that allegedly will end in ten years.


You will see wording that says the surtax will ease congestion. It could be uses for that but mostly of it will make it easier for Jacksonville commuters to get to the new developments in northern St John's County turning it into a suburb of Jacksonville.


You should vote no because everything about the surtax is a sham if not a scam. Instead of easing congestion, it would give the commissioners a blank check to bring in more development.


There are so many things wrong with the surtax proposal but the justifications" of it, The Backlogged Projects list, is the one we will discussed here.


Originally, we were told that the projects on the backlogged project list were essential to maintain out quality of life. We are told that we needed a surtax to clear the backlog.


The definition of Backlogged  is "a quantity of unfinished business or work that has built up over a period of time and must be dealt with before progress can be made.". Therefore, you would expect if we don't vote for the surtax all progress will come to a screeching halt. However, that would be a lie.


The backlogged project list is listed below. While some projects are essential and worthwhile most of the other look more like a developer wish list that are neither essential, worthwhile or backlogged. Some of these projects may be needed; others may be a developer wish list. There must be a reason that the Better St John's Plan PAC with known ties with the Hutson's is spending almost half a million dollars on billboards and mailers to get you to vote surtax.


At one of the town hall meetings, Jessie Dunn, who was tasked to explain, (but definitely NOT promote), the surtax, was questioned on the need or even the desire for some of the projects on the list. Dunn said that list were just examples of backlogged projects. When asked where he came up with the list he said they went to each department and asked for a list of projects and estimates. The result was a list of projects whose total estimated cost just happen to come up to a nice round $500,000, 000.


Below is a comparison of three projects that we are supposed to believe are desperately needed and hopelessly backlogged. These three projects will benefit Hutson's Silver leaf development more than anyone else


The following chart is shows just how made up the backlogged project list appears to be. The roads in these projects all involve CR2209 AKA St John's Parkway. CR2209 is the main road that made Hutson's Silverleaf possible. The Hutson company Whites Ford Timber received $78, 0000,000 for constructing CR2209 in impact fee credits, which explains why they want the sales surtax.


Of these three projects only $1,000,000 is for FY-22, which could legitimately called backlogged.


$5,100,000 is in for FY 23-26, so it should not be considered backlogged until 2026.


$32,113,593 is listed as "candidate" which probably means it has not even been approved but it definitely means it could not possibly be backlogged. 


These are just three examples of how the commissioners came up with a made up backlogged projects list. The list is full of unsubstantiated estimates for some  projects that are not even in the Capital Improvement plan


Don't vote for a surtax that will be used to ruin our county. Let's slow down the pace of the massive over-development by making the Commission to have a little financial discipline. Keep your own hard-earned money, you may need it for your family


 

Linda Mihalic
Progressives everywhere are pulling this from the trick bag!
  • November 6, 2022
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Safari Woman
agree
  • November 8, 2022
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