Columbia County is on its way to bringing in $288 million over the next five years, one penny at a time. On Tuesday, voters approved extending the Special Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST), with about 60 percent voting yes on the ballot. SPLOST adds a penny per dollar to the local sales tax. That extra cent goes toward a fund the county uses for a wide range of improvement projects, including roads, schools, public safety, and parks and recreation facilities. Tuesday’s vote authorizes SPLOST for 2023-28. During that time, the

It is well known that General William Sherman did not attack Augusta during his famous military march during the American Civil War. His march destroyed property and confiscated livestock and crops. (Interestingly, Confederate General Joseph Wheeler, the main opposition to Sherman, was also under orders to destroy property and crops). In a letter to the editor of the Augusta Chronicle, Sherman explained that he did not need to attack Augusta; he wanted to get to Savannah so the Union Navy could re-supply him. A recent paper in American Economic Journal: