SOMEONE once said that “no country has ever taxed its way to prosperity.” With the pending $1.4 billion, 10 year TSPLOST vote on July 31, we are once again going to test that claim.

Supporters argue that this additional tax is critical for growth, that it will attract industry by funding construction of new roads and other infrastructure. My fundamental question is where do the politicians think this money will come from? It will come out of the pockets of consumers, who would have otherwise spent this on goods and services or saved it. It is therefore at best a zero sum game in terms of stimulating the economy.

Furthermore, when has a government estimate of a tax ever been right? We can probably expect much more tax revenue to be raised, and thus more money to be taken from consumers, than $1.4 billion. Additionally, these taxes seldom go away. They are usually voted back in while the majority of the electorate stays home (or is too busy working to pay all those taxes).

On the subject of the electorate, if this TSPLOST is such a great idea, why didn’t the politicians have the courage to put it on the November ballot? I will tell you why; they know that it would fail to pass in a general election, but stands a good chance in mid summer with possibly less than 10 turnout.

We should expect our representatives to produce budgets that provide sufficient taxes and spending restraint. If we do not like their work, we should vote them out. We should never do their jobs for them by voting to tax ourselves.

Look to California if you want to see the results of overtaxation and regulation. That is a state with more resources than most nations, and it is collapsing due to voter apathy and legislative tyranny.

Our legislature has also recently passed a “title tax” law that will assess up to 9 percent of a vehicle’s value in up front fees for any purchase or movement of a vehicle into the state. Imagine a family (or business) with four cars totaling $100,000 in value, finding out they will have to pay $9,000 for the privilege of moving to Georgia!

Regardless of your position on this TSPLOST, please vote on Tuesday, I will feel much better if it passes with 75 percent turnout than if it does with 10 percent. “We get the government we deserve,” as the old saying goes.