Friday, February 8, 2008
News State Senate introduces transportation funding
Posted by Thomas Wheatley @thomaswheatley on Fri, Feb 8, 2008 at 4:02 PM
The Senate introduced a constitutional amendment yesterday that should be news to Georgians pining for a little public-transit push. If it passes through the General Assembly, the Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle-backed resolution would allow counties to partner up with others and levy a 1-cent sales tax for transportation projects. Voters would be presented with the project and the tax's sunset date, and then given the choice if they want to pursue it. According to the resolution, 80 percent of the tax revenue would go to the counties. That other 20 percent? It goes to the state for mass transit projects and general transportation funds.
At first glance, this is good news for Atlanta. Now it comes down to what projects are proposed. That is, of course, if it even makes it out of the General Assembly.
Sources have said that with the DOT in disrepair, Gov. Sonny Perdue is hesitant to toss any more cash at the state agency. Legislators I've spoken with have said it's possible we'll just see a whole lot of debatin'. Cross your fingers and hope that Perdue gets caught in traffic while he goes hunting real estate. Maybe then he'll see how dire a situation we have.
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