• Joeff Davis

You don't say! That line's not from the Sierra Club, Fast Track Forward, or Citizens for Progressive transit. Or from some road-hatin' tree huggers. It's from a detailed analysis of the regional transportation tax that voters will decide on July 31 by the Georgia Public Policy Foundation, a think tank that state lawmakers often turn to for "free-market" solutions to Georgia's woes.

The full paragraph:

"While widening highways makes travel more convenient, reduces congestion, reduces pollution and increases the number of vehicles that travel on a highway, it does not reduce congestion over the long term. This does not mean that the region should not expand highways or should invest a disproportionate amount of funds in transit. It simply means that growing metro areas cannot end the congestion by widening (expanding capacity) alone."

So simple, yet it's taken us so long to learn.

(H/T IcarusPundit, pdsnyder)

• Joeff Davis/CL File
• Clark Howard

Howard made the announcement during a 750 WSB-AM Radio roundtable about the tax on Friday morning with news anchor Scott Slade and Captain Herb Emory, the traffic reporter who points out all the car crashes that clog metro Atlanta's highways. From a press release by Citizens for Transportation Mobility, the business community's PR campaign to urge voters to approve the tax:

"I hate tax, that's pretty obvious from everything I've said over the years, but I am emphatically for this. We as a metro area have no prospects for growth right now, nobody wants to move their companies here, we are flat on our backs right now,” Howard said. “We are so in the weeds here that if we do not adopt this and move forward, it's not Armageddon but it means Atlanta moves from being one of the key cities of America to the backwater. We have to face the facts that we have to take a leap of faith. As things stand now, we are moving to the back of the pack." [...]

"I started off being completely opposed to this. The more I've learned about it, the more I think we need to do this,” Howard added. "This is our chance to have local control of the money and where the money goes. We collect the money here and we spend it here."

What didn't make the press release is Howard's claim that metro Atlanta, which has a "dysfunctional system of government," has lost its "mojo" and momentum. "If we were the Kentucky Derby, we're becoming the horse that has 100-to-1 odds," he said.

Whether Howard's endorsement makes a difference remains to be seen. Captain Herb Emory, for what it's worth, says he still doesn't decided how to vote on the measure. And that's the endorsement we're all waiting for, folks!

The Metro Atlanta Voter Education Fund, part of the business community's campaign to sway voters to approve the regional transportation tax on July 31, rolled out a new online ad yesterday. The 2-minute clip is easy on the eyes and ears — unlike the dream sequence that campaign officials pulled from my nightmares — and urges viewers to learn more about the 1-percent sales tax at MAVEN's website. A few observations:

* When, if ever, will these ads prominently feature a bus or rail system? Is metro Atlanta still that frightened by the criminal chariots known as "transit?" (Yes, we caught a brief glimpse of light rail in a previous ad.)
* Look at that skyline behind the glowing radioactive cars. Maybe we could have that kind of skyline if we don't continue to devolve into a sprawling blob of dysfunction.
* "It's no wonder that the Weather Channel recently declared Atlanta's congestion issues 'the worst traffic in the South.'" We've officially run out of people to quote about traffic congestion.

We understand your pain and want to help. On Thursday, May 10, yours truly will moderate a panel discussion at CL's Atlantic Station offices about the regional transportation tax with supporters, opponents, and public honchos. The free event, which is part of our ongoing "Political Party" series, is open to the public and starts at 7:30 p.m. That gives you ample time to imbibe after work at any of the nearby taverns and/or speakeasies before joining us for a polite, civic discussion.

Joining us will be: Colleen Kiernan from the Georgia chapter of the Sierra Club, the eco-advocacy group that's urging members to reject the tax; Jeff Dickerson, a spokesman for Citizens for Transportation Mobility, the business community's campaign to convince voters to approve the measure; and Brian Leary, the CEO of the Atlanta Beltline, the 22-mile loop of parks, trails, and transit that's taking shape around the heart of the city — and which, if approved, would receive $600 million to build light rail.

Expect much of the discussion to focus on what the tax could do for metro Atlanta, why the measure should be approved or rejected, and what happens if it fails. And yes, there will be time for questions. Our office is on the second floor of the building located at 231 18th St., Suite 8150, Atlanta, GA 30363. (We're above Z Gallerie, which faces Atlantic Station's "Central Park.") Entrances are available on the alley on the south side of the building and Market Street. (We've embedded a map after the jump.) Atlantic Station offers ample parking available — the first two hours are free! — and a free trolley that picks up riders at the Woodruff Arts Center MARTA station's bus bay every 15 minutes or so. MARTA bus no. 37 also serves the mini-city.

Need more info? Send me a line. We look forward to seeing you there.

Sign up on Facebook: CL's Political Party: A free panel discussion on May 10 at 7:30 p.m. about the regional transportation tax, PrintHouse, 231 18th St., Suite 8150, Atlanta, GA 30363

Just one day after the Sierra Club announced it was urging members to reject the regional transportation tax, we learn of a new group that's itching to defeat the July 31 ballot measure.

Meet Transportation Leadership Coalition LLC, or Traffic Truth, an "all-volunteer organization" united "in the belief that the [state] can do a much better job of transportation planning than passing the largest tax hike in Georgia history and spending the money on politically favored rail projects, trapping us into a tax situation that will continue forever." That's a mouthful.

According to the group's press release issued yesterday (and which we've pasted after the jump), TLC was formed after 75 grassroots activists met at an "Adventure Outdoors in Marietta" to discuss the ballot measure. The group says it plans to "educate the public" with its website, email, and social media about the tax and the various claims of groups supporting the measure — some of which, TLC argues, are using taxpayer dollars to sell

The group says the rail projects that would be funded by the tax won't relieve traffic congestion,, that the more expensive projects would require "billions more" to complete than what was allocated, and that, contrary to talking points, "there is a ‘Plan B.'"

Though some of the names listed on the press release have worked with metro Atlanta tea party groups in the past or describe themselves on Facebook as conservative, no other coalition members' names are listed.

A spokeswoman from Untie Atlanta, the business community's PR campaign to sway voters to pass the tax, told CL via email last night:

There was opposition to MARTA in the '60s; there was even opposition to building the biggest airport in the Southeast. We expected the opposition. But we'd be the size of Birmingham if metro Atlantans hadn't rejected the opposition's stance on MARTA and the airport. And we'll keep our competitive edge and create thousands more jobs if voters say "yes" and again reject the opposition's stance.

The "Transportation Leadership Coalition" is urging people to vote "no" to jobs, "no" to $19 billion in new income, "no" to making our region competitive with others, and an unbelievable "no" to more productivity and time spent with families instead of sitting snarled in traffic jams.

They're also voting "yes" for a tax — a congestion tax — now at $924 a year per commuter — that will only rise if our region fails to come together to address its biggest problem.

Every time we've faced big problems, we've risen to the occasion and met them with big solutions. This referendum is just the start of what the voters and our leaders are capable of accomplishing when we put our personal interests to the side and do what's best for the region.

TLC's full release after the jump.

Citizens for Transportation Mobility, the business community's PR campaign pushing for the passage of a regional transportation tax in metro Atlanta, expressed "disappointment" and "dismay" late this afternoon after learning that the Sierra Club would oppose the measure. Via the group's release:

• Joeff Davis

“We find it highly unusual that an organization charged with preserving and protecting our environment would oppose a transportation investment that has the potential to do exactly that,” said Che Watkins, campaign manager for CTM. “The Regional Transportation Referendum holds more promise of relieving congestion and reducing air pollution than any plan in decades,” said Watkins.

The organization, which advocates for more transit options in the region, cited “sprawl-inducing road expansion” as a major reason for its opposition. And yet, supporters believe the July 31 referendum provides unprecedented transportation options for metro Atlanta commuters, and holds the most promise for relieving air pollution, excessive tailpipe emissions and other environmental damage caused by traffic congestion.

“If the Sierra Club has its way,” said Watkins, “more harm will be done to the environment as the state continues to fund roads to the exclusion of transit. This plan generates one-third of public funding in the region for transit,” said Watkins. “Any organization that supports the environment would support this plan.”

With both supporters and opponents of transit taking aim at the $8.5 billion project list, Watkins noted that “We’ve obviously achieved the right balance of both. The one-sided supporters on either side – roads or transit – must acknowledge that the region needs a healthy mix of both to relieve congestion and give commuters options to get to home and work quicker.”

I'm disappointed that both sides in the debate haven't resorted to any name-calling. No talk of "corporate fat cats" or "Teva-wearin' tree-bark eaters." LAME.

• Joeff Davis

The Georgia chapter of the eco-advocacy group went public today with its opposition to the regional transportation tax. Executive Director Colleen Kiernan argues that the list of projects to be funded by the one-percent tax measure feature too many road that will fuel sprawl. And the proposed transit projects are "vaguely defined" and underfunded. Interestingly enough, the Sierra Club is joining forces with tea party members to defeat the measure.

Here's the group's full statement released this morning:

Today the Georgia Chapter of the Sierra Club announced that it will recommend a “no” vote on the July 31st transportation sales tax referendum (T-SPLOST). “This project list is primarily a business-as-usual sprawl-inducing road program,” said Georgia Chapter Director Colleen Kiernan. “We support Plan B — a fix-it-first road strategy and a project list that emphasizes transit expansion and improvement.”

The Georgia Chapter has a long history of opposing sprawl-inducing highways like the Northern Arc and supporting increased funding for sustainable transportation including MARTA, Beltline transit, and commuter rail.

While much discussion has focused on the transit component of the project list, the T-SPLOST is first and foremost a road building initiative. Claims by pro-transit supporters that 52 percent of revenues would go to transit do not account for the 15 percent local set-aside, which is expected to go primarily to roads; the final total for transit would be closer to 40 percent. Given that existing transportation funding already overwhelmingly favors roads, passage of the T-SPLOST would only further entrench that divide.

Even the transit expansion projects that Sierra Club supports in concept, including the Northwest corridor, are vaguely defined and underfunded. Other transit projects, like the continuation of GRTA bus service, reward the state for not coming to the table to continue commuter bus service, instead electing to rely on the region step in and assume responsibility.

Other supporters of the regional T-SPLOST argue it will be make-or-break for MARTA, but passage would not address MARTA's most pressing need, which is to raise service up from the skeletal current levels. Because the legislature didn’t suspend or remove the 50/50 split this year, further deterioration of MARTA service remains a real and unacceptable possibility. The current suspension expires just after regional T-SPLOST revenue would flow, so the supplemental capital funding would have limited impact on MARTA's operational budget.

Sierra Club hoped that the 2012 legislature would make the regional T-SPLOST more palatable to transit supporters by creating equitable and representative regional transit governance, but unfortunately the 2012 session was the worst in recent memory for transit.

“We hope Atlanta can follow the example of Seattle, defeat the current proposal and get right to work on Plan B,” continued Kiernan. “Other funding options that should be considered include restructuring the gas tax, charging more for parking, and an expanded regional transit agency. If our leaders fully embrace transit as the centerpiece of a transformative vision for the region’s future, Atlanta can take its place among other forward-looking metropolitan areas that have positioned themselves for enduring success in the 21st century.”

Will such an effort work? Writes Charlie at Peach Pundit:

To some, this may appear to be a huge problem for passage of the T-SPLOST, as there are now two groups with both grassroots activists and nominal money to counter the multi-million dollar PR campaign being waged by those who favor the massive tax increase. Yet in the new opposition one can now see the roots of a new message emerging from the pro T-SPLOST advocates -and those roots are blond.

Consider it a Goldilocks campaign. With the Sierra club saying there’s not enough transit and the TEA Party saying there’s too much, expect those supporting the measure to claim it’s just right. Now eat your porridge.

Supporters of the regional transportation tax that voters will decide on July 31 touched on the usual points at last night's panel discussion about the road and transit funding measure at Emory University. In short: we're wasting our lives away sitting in traffic and losing jobs to other metro regions that are investing in rail. And by God, if metro Atlantans don't do something about it, we're all gonna drown in sorrow, while weeping.

But it was the way that Decatur Mayor Bill Floyd, one of the evening's panelists, framed the economic argument that really stood out. (His lines generated one of the few rounds of applause during the event.) When asked by moderator Sally Sears how tax supporters should speak with potential voters, the mayor responded:

"The key to it is to let people understand what's at stake here. I heard someone say this last week: Who do you think is gonna be cheering when this doesn't pass on Aug. 1? Is it gonna be the tea party people? Is it gonna be those in South DeKalb? Is it gonna be those who think we're paying a penny and we don't want to pay any more? It's gonna be Charlotte, it's gonna be Dallas, it's gonna be Phoenix. It's gonna be everybody we compete with for jobs on a daily basis. They will know we've stepped back from the plate. They will know we are not willing to take the steps here to move this region forward."

Another interesting moment — one that generated some anger from my Twitter followers: When asked how metro Atlantans would pay to operate the new buses and trains built with tax revenues once the 10-year measure sunsets, DeKalb County CEO Burrell Ellis candidly responded that elected officials don't know. The issue, Ellis said, would have to be decided closer to that time.

Here's video of Floyd's talk — including some glowing words about the Atlanta Beltline — and some other elected officials' thoughts.