The message Thursday was clear: Support public safety in Augusta-Richmond County by voting “yes” to renewing the special purpose local option sales tax. “A vote for SPLOST on Tuesday, Nov. 3 is certainly a vote for public safety,” said Richmond County Sheriff’s Lt. Lewis Blanchard at a news conference, representing the CSRA Chapter of the Georgia Police Benevolent Association. The PBA and Augusta Professional Firefighters Association formally endorsed the city’s seventh special purpose local option sales tax at the event. read more