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Get Georgia Moving Coalition Supports S.R. 845
March 26, 2008
The Get Georgia Moving coalition, which represents more than 50 groups across Georgia --including business leaders, government leaders, transit advocates, road builders and environmentalists -- today announced its support for Senate Resolution 845 , a transportation funding approach that would give voters across the state a voice, while ensuring local control of projects and spending.
"We’ve seen incredible leadership from our lawmakers this year to get something done about transportation – and now we need the House to pass Senate Resolution 845 with the changes made by the House Transportation Committee," said Charles Tarbutton, assistant vice president of Sandersville Railroad Company, chair of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and co-chair of the Get Georgia Moving Coalition. “We feel very confident that reform and funding can and should be addressed concurrently so that 18-24 months from now, an improved Georgia Department of Transportation will have the resources to move forward with the infrastructure projects this state needs.”
The resolution, sponsored by Senate Transportation Committee Chairman Jeff Mullis (R-Chickamauga), was passed by the full Senate by an overwhelming majority. It was then modified and passed by the House Transportation Committee, led by Chairman Vance Smith (R-Pine Mountain).
The full House is set to vote on the modified version of S.R. 845 on Thursday. If passed, the proposal will most likely head to a conference committee of the House and Senate to work out minor differences.
Get Georgia Moving is a diverse group of business leaders, state and local government leaders, transit advocates, road builders and environmentalists. A partial list is below.
"Our coalition is united by the concept of letting Georgia voters choose what action to take on transportation,” said Bill Linginfelter, former Georgia State CEO for Wachovia Bank and former chairman of the transportation policy committee of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. “The beauty of S.R. 845 is that it leaves every step of the decision-making up to voters. They decide whether to vote on funding for local projects. They choose the projects. They keep the money at home. And there’s a clear end date.”
S.R. 845 provides for a voluntary one-cent TSPLOST, or transportation special purpose local-option sales tax. The concept would be similar to SPLOSTs for education that have been popular with voters across the state. It includes these features:
2-step vote process
statewide authorization - First, a statewide referendum would be held to approve a constitutional amendment that would give regional development centers (RDCs) the authority to enact a 1 percent transportation sales tax. The regions would call a regional referendum to enact the tax when they so choose.
regional vote - Second, regions would have the option to hold a SPLOST-like vote to implement the tax.
Project selection
Prior to the vote, regions would develop a project list in coordination with GDOT.
sunshine and sunset: In addition to requiring the project list to be published, there would also be a clear end date for the funding stream.
100 percent return to each region: The funds raised in each region stay in that region.
“Georgia is the third-fastest growing state in the country, but spends less on transportation infrastructure per person than any other state in the country,” said Joe Leonard, chairman of AirTran Airways, chairman of the transportation policy committee of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and co-chair of the Get Georgia Moving Coalition. “Now we can change that equation. We must act now if we’re going to continue attracting companies and investment to this region.”
Members of the Get Georgia Moving coalition said they support S.R. 845 as a way to relieve congestion, ensure air quality and promote economic development. To that end, the coalition also supports efforts to optimize current revenue sources, invest in transit and all other modes of transportation, and support innovative funding programs.
Participants in the coalition include:
American Council of Engineering Companies
Association County Commissioners of Georgia
Atlanta Regional Commission
Center for Quality Growth and Regional Development at Georgia Tech
Central Atlanta Progress
Citizens for Progressive Transit
Civic League for Regional Atlanta
Clean Air Campaign
Community Improvement District Alliance
Council for Quality Growth
CSX
C. W. Matthews Contracting Co., Inc.
Georgia Asphalt Pavement Association
Georgia Association of Regional Development Centers
Georgia Chamber of Commerce
Georgia Concrete Pavement Association
Georgia Conservancy
Georgia Construction Aggregate Association
Georgia Department of Transportation
Georgia Economic Developers’ Association
Georgia Electric Membership Corporation
Georgia Engineering Alliance
Georgia Highway Contractors Association
Georgia Municipal Association
Georgia Policy and Budget Institute
Georgia Power Company
Georgia Railroad Association
Georgia Regional Transportation Authority
Georgia Transit Association
Georgians for Better Transportation
Georgians for the Brain Train
Governor’s Office of Highway Safety
Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce
HNTB Corporation
Livable Communities Coalition
Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce
Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority
Norfolk Southern
Regional Business Coalition
Sierra Club
Transit Planning Board
