This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Health & Fitness

Public Q & A on the transportation sales tax referendum

The Nuts and bolts Q & A on the transportation referendum. It answers to every pro and con and provides educated answers that are justified by fact. Resource: Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce.

Whether you are for or against, you owe it to yourself to read this.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS BY THE PUBLIC

Q—I don’t trust government (to either pick the projects, spend the money or deliver the projects). 

Find out what's happening in Virginia Highland-Druid Hillswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

A—

  • This is different than anything we’ve ever done before in transportation because YOU GET TO VOTE ON THIS.
  • The 157 defined regional projects that are on the list were 9 months in the making in a very open and transparent process and were developed with input from over 200,000 citizens.  
  • That list cannot be changed over the 10 years by law– meaning voters know exactly what they are getting in advance of the referendum vote.
  • The law creating the tsplost also created a citizens oversight committee which will have responsibility for producing annual audits of the projects.  That's never been done before on any previous splosts.

Q—I don’t support any new taxes / now is not the time to be raising taxes. 

Find out what's happening in Virginia Highland-Druid Hillswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

A—

  • 87% of people agree that traffic has gotten so bad something must be done about it.  This is that opportunity.  If not now, when?
  • Because of our long commute times, the Texas Transportation Institute estimates that Atlantans are already paying a “congestion tax” of $924/yr for the wasted time and fuel we spend sitting in traffic.  However, based on the average amount of goods people buy, this transportation opportunity will only cost roughly $122/year – about the amount of a cup of coffee per week.  Isn’t it worth an investment of $122/yr to reduce the amount of time and money we waste sitting in traffic, not to mention the job opportunities we may be losing because of our traffic reputation. 
  • Economists say that cities are either in a period of rise and growth or they are in a period of decline.  They don't stay in the status quo.  If we don't do something to build more infrastructure, our region will likely begin a period of decline.  So, this is really a vote and investment for our future – creating jobs and getting home faster to spend more time with our families rather than spending time stuck in increasingly growing traffic.
  • Georgia is ranked 48th nationally in transportation infrastructure spending and metro Atlanta is ranked 91 out 100 among metro regions for access to transit. Regardless of where you are and who you speak with, everyone can agree that we have a traffic problem. Transportation investment is expensive and we are behind in this state and this region. 
  • Of the various funding options, a sales tax increase was the least regressive and fairest funding mechanism on the table. If we were to raise the gas tax, it would come at a cost of nearly 25 cents on the gallon -- hardly affordable for a working class family. Not only will the residents of our region contribute to our transportation investment, but also visitors and other commuters traveling and purchasing items within the 10-county region. 
  • This referendum is not a choice between no tax and a new tax. It’s a choice between public investment that will create jobs and attract businesses such as Caterpillar, and an uncontrollable congestion tax that will send jobs and businesses packing to regions that are making visionary investments in their growth and prosperity.

Q—I don’t like the project list / Let’s not pass this now.  Let’s come back in 2 years when we have a shot at getting a better project list.

A—

  • We can't let the perfect be the enemy of the good.  This entire effort has literally been 6 years in the making.  The business and civic communities got involved at that time because our traffic issues were costing us jobs and our quality of life – we started to see a pattern of companies unwilling to locate or create jobs here because we had no plan to address our traffic.  And the regions that we compete with for economic growth – namely Denver, Dallas, Houston and increasingly Charlotte, are leapfrogging their transportation infrastructure ahead of us and using that to their competitive advantage.  We don’t have time to wait – our future depends on it.
  • This is a very good project list – was 9 months in the making and was developed with input from over 200,000 citizens.   No future list will be perfect either.
  • Leaders like the Gov, Lt Gov, Mayor and others have already publicly said if this fails, they won’t be addressing this again anytime soon.  And if they do, it won’t be with the unprecedented local decision making and citizen input that we’ve seen over the last year. 

Q—Is there a Plan B or not?

A—

  • The fact of the matter is that there is a plan on the table NOW that delivers $8 billion for badly needed transp projects.  If this doesn’t pass, there is no other plan on the table that delivers the same.
  • There is no FREE plan B and whatever plan B may be is 1) not now identified and ready to go in the foreseeable future and 2) will most likely be toll roads, the very thing people are complaining about now.
  • Some people will say let’s just increase the gas tax.  Well, it would take a 25 cent increase in the gas tax to generate what this penny sales tax would.  And in this time of high gas prices, I don’t think citizens are ready to shoulder a 25 per gallon increase in gas. 

Q—They lied to us about the Ga 400 toll and they are lying to us about this also.

A—

  • Unlike Ga 400, HOT lanes, or any other transportation decisions that have been made in the past, the difference with this is that YOU GET TO VOTE ON THIS. 
  • Indeed, if this doesn’t pass, we’ll probably see more toll roads and HOT lanes being decided for us. 

Q-- What if we don't complete the projects in 10 years? Will the state come back and impose another 10 year tax?

A—

  • Projects were selected that have already been on the drawing board and can be done or significantly done in 10 years.
  • The penny tax will be in place for ten years or until the funding level for those projects are reached, whichever comes first.  
  • Most importantly, by law, the tax cannot be extended unless approved again by voters.  Again, the big difference here is YOU GET TO VOTE ON THIS.

Q—Isn't there too much transit in the list, especially when less than 5% of people ride transit?

A—

  • This is about giving people choices and options – the very thing that has made Atlanta a great place to live.  We need more freedom about how we commute, not less.
  • In order to bring traffic relief to metro Atlanta, we must offer commuters more options – and transit is an option that, once developed, far more commuters will take advantage of.   Indeed, in other major cities that we compete with, transit is a must have option especially when it comes to attracting young people and workers.  
  • And when you count in tourists and the occasional rider taking MARTA to the airport, sporting events, etc, that figure is much higher than 5%.
  • In fact, MARTA removes over 185,000 cars off the road each day. Just imagine 185,000 additional cars on the road right now, every day.  And the GRTA, Cobb and Gwinnett express buses also take cars off the road – and the future of those systems is in grave doubt if this fails.
  • Without access to transit, we’d be a far less economically vibrant region. We would not have attracted the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games; we would have missed out on huge national conventions that have brought billions of dollars to Atlanta, and we would not have attracted Fortune 500 companies to metro Atlanta without a robust transit system.  Indeed, Atlanta has fallen behind in our transit infrastructure – we currently rank 91 out of 100 among major metro regions for transit access.
  • Where transit is readily available, commuters and residents use it. Within Fulton and DeKalb Counties, transit accounts for 41 and 35 percentage of work trips into downtown, respectively.  This region is projected to attract 3 million more residents in the next few decades. While expanding and improving our roadways are important, we must provide a clean, fast and modern transit system to alleviate our roads and move our region forward.
  • Our polling shows that 71% of voters in the 10 county region agree that we need to take steps towards building a clean, fast and modern transit system and this referendum will deliver just that. 

Q—There’s not enough transit in the list – why isn’t there more?

A—

  • The list is a very balanced list – roughly 52% transit and 48% road improvements.  Citizen input and voter polling demonstrated that citizens of this region wanted a mix of both.
  • The transit that is in the list lays a great foundation for expanding transit in the future.  Projects like the Clifton Corridor, express buses to Acworth, express buses out I-20, etc. will provide new transit service where it didn’t exist before. 
  • Overall, the transit projects that are in the list help the region make significant steps toward building a clean, modern and fast transit system – a goal that 71% of people throughout the entire region agree with. 

Q-- Will the Citizens' Oversight Committee have any real teeth?

A—

  • The Transportation Investment Act requires strict accountability.
  •  It created a citizens oversight committee which will have responsibility for producing annual audits of the projects.  That's never been done before on any previous splosts.
  • Annual audits will be conducted and published on a public website to help ensure that projects are being done on time and on budget.
  • The Citizens Oversight Committee of non-elected officials would be appointed by the Speaker of the House and Lieutenant Governor

Q—Isn't the $1 billion too much and just a slush fund for local governments?

A—

  • There is no slush fund.
  • 85% of the funding is going to 157 defined regional projects that were 9 months in the making in a very open and transparent process with input from over 200,000 citizens.
  • 15% of the funding goes back to local cities and counties for local transportation needs as spelled out in the law.  And who better to decide what local turn lanes, what safety projects, what bike lanes, etc in Alpharetta than the people of Alpharetta?
  • As one example, the City of Atlanta created their 15% list with much public input.  The result is that 93% of the City's residents will be within a half mile of a transportation project!  That's a pretty good impact
  • Also, some people say the regional projects won’t impact them.  The local projects are a way to make sure every part of the region is impacted.
  • Bottom line, this tsplost will result in much needed transportation projects being built at both the local and regional level.

Q—Is it fair for Fulton and DeKalb to pay another penny?

A—

  • Fulton and DeKalb have had a dedicated penny for transit since the 70s – but each of the other metro Atlanta counties ALSO have a 1 cent sales tax for transportation but it is spent mainly on roads. 
  • There’s no question Fulton and DeKalb – and the entire region for that matter – has benefitted from that investment: many employers selected to locate in Fulton and DeKalb because of transit.  And metro Atlanta would never have had a chance for the 1996 Olympic Games, super bowls, final fours, major conventions, etc.  Fulton and DeKalb were the primary beneficiaries of those events so they have had an incredible return on their investment.
  • The current penny for MARTA is not sufficient to fund major improvements that include the Emory/CDC corridor, continuing GRTA express bus service to the suburbs, laying the foundation for transit out 1-20, etc.  So this is about making another investment that will also pay off dividends in returns for years to come.  And doing it on a regional basis rather than a patchwork county by county basis.  
  • This regional tsplost allows everyone in the region to build on all these early investments and make our region a greater place for future generations….just like the leaders who came before us did and made hard but visionary decisions. 

Q—The project list doesn’t benefit me and/or it doesn’t do enough to alleviate congestion.

A—

  • Well, one thing that’s for sure, the “do nothing” option only ensures that traffic continues to get worse.  And sends a signal to the rest of the nation that we aren’t willing to address our traffic issues.
  • Look at the project list – who hasn’t ridden on Ga400 and I-285 at some point?  Or SR 120 on the Northside, or I-85 and SR 74 on the Southside, or I-20 and I-285 on the Westside?   Those projects alone with greatly reduce congestion for example: Ga 400 and I-285 by 32%; SR 120 by 58%; and I-85 and SR74 by 64%.  Those are some incredible impacts.

Q—Are maintenance and operational costs included in the estimates?

A—

  • Not for road projects, however, there are significant “O&M” funds for each transit project, including GRTA express bus operations (which will go away if this doesn’t pass by the way) and 10 years worth of operations for the light rail upon completion of construction.

Q—I’ve heard that projects are only half funded?

A—

  • Most projects are fully funded.  In the few cases of partial funding, those are funded for their design, engineering, environmental, right of way, etc.  This was specifically allowed in the legislation, knowing that projects are often funded and leveraged with multiple sources and over a long period of time.
We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

More from Virginia Highland-Druid Hills