News 12 at 6 o'clock, December 4, 2008

AUGUSTA, Ga.---The city of Augusta is trying to decide on ways to spend millions of sales tax dollars before bringing it to you for a final vote.

In years past you've voted to use sales tax, or SPLOST, money to help build a new library and TEE center. The city's current wish list is in and just in time for the holidays.

"It's sorta like Christmas," said city administrator Fred Russell. "Everybody asks for everything."

Russell is facing 1,700 pages of suggested things to do with sales tax dollars.

$13 million would replace all 500 public safety vehicles. They get pretty beat up.

"They do," said city fleet manager Ron Crowden. "It's the mission that's required of the vehicle."

Crowden says maintenance trips are picking up. The cars are two years past their life expectancy.

"It's just costing a lot more money," said Crowden. "We need to replace the fleet."

That doesn't include an additional $12 million dollars to replace the city's fire fleet."

What do you think about $200,000 to bring bus service to Augusta's south-side.

"It's ridiculous," said bus rider Dawn Hogg. "I'm new here, and I'm ready to pack up."

Dawn says the bus service is long overdue.

"The jobs are all the way from town and for you to get there I got to rush back to get to my boy and you know the babysitter...the money," said Dawn. "It's ridiculous."

If you think that's ridiculous this SPLOST list is jam-packed with more than $600 million in suggested projects.

"The number you're looking at now is what people wish they could get," said Russell. "The number they end up getting will be a lot less."

That reality could force Ron and Dawn's and hopes of a new fleet and bus route to take a backseat.

"It's a lovely place," said Dawn. "But y'all have to do a lot better."

You get the final decision. A SPLOST vote is expected January 16, 2008.

"I hope they say yes," said Ron.

Commissioners held the first of three meetings today. They have a lot of trimming to do. The city administrator wants to bring the list down from $600 million to $150 million.