Word: That was then
June 14, 2009 at 12:24 pm by Scott Henry in News
State Sen. Don Balfour, R-Snellville, opposes a proposed Gwinnett County tax hike, arguing that an economic downturn is not the time to raise taxes. But, during the recent General Assembly, he successfully pushed legislation to start billing Georgians next year for two nuclear reactors that won’t be completed until 2017.
“A tax increase … amounts to more financial strain on the taxpayer. People do not have the ability to pay more for government services right now.”
— Balfour, from a June 11 AJC op-ed
“If we pay for the interest now, we’re saving money.”
— Balfour, as quoted in the AJC Jan. 16, defending his plan to bill Georgia Power ratepayers upfront for the nukes
“The pre-payments would force current customers to subsidize future customers. … It is real money that they must pay years before it would otherwise be due.”
— From the Feb. 6 report on Balfour’s bill by the Public Service Commission staff
June 14th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
What…? Political double-talk? This is unheard of! (sarcasm)
But I think what he was saying by the Nuclear reactors was probably that with the employment and income that the reactors would bring in, it would be worth paying interest now rather than more money in the long run.
But admittedly, I’m not 100% informed on the reactor situation.
June 14th, 2009 at 11:06 pm
Is anyone surprised that a Georgia State Representative says one thing and does another? Or talks out of both side of his (her) mouth? Balfour is just as bad–and very possibly worse–than his peers at the Gold Dome when it comes to these attributes.
June 15th, 2009 at 10:14 am
Is anyone surprised that a politician is clueless about money? Really?