Voters across Georgia went to the polls Tuesday to decide whether to pay an extra penny on the dollar to fund transportation projects. And they said no. In droves.
With most results in late Tuesday, the measures appeared doomed in North Georgia.
With all 12 counties in the Northeast Georgia District reporting, the measured lost 64.7%-35.3%.
In the Georgia Mountains District, the measure was losing by a spread of 75%-25% with 12 of 13 counties reporting.
In the 10-county Atlanta Regional District, the measure was failing by a 63%-37% margin with six of the counties fully reported. The biggest counties - Fulton and DeKalb - had turned in most of their tallies by late Tuesday night and the sales tax was losing by a narrow margin in both counties.
Backers of the tax vowed that they wouldn't give up their efforts to address the region's transportation woes.
“It is critical now that we listen to the concerns of those who voted ‘no’ on the referendum to determine how best to build a strong regional system," said Jim Stokes, executive director of the Livable Communities Coalition, in a prepared statement.
"We are turning our efforts toward convening a broad collation to work to find common ground on such issues such as preferred transit projects and transit governance."
The statement said passage of the sales tax would have been "a watershed moment for transit in metro Atlanta."
“Many regions around the country are getting transit right. I am convinced the Atlanta region will join them,” he said.
What do you think? Did you vote "Yes" or "No" on the TSPLOST? Tell us what you think in the comments area below.
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Forward on Comrad.
As far as it goes I did not vote for the new Deal anyways as he has been found at least relatively guilty and he withdrew himself so it would not be on his record so he's corrupt by default. Therefore if he does put this in place under him as a tax or in any other way he will be gone next time around which is good.
That sounds more like the whim of the minority rather than the actual fact. Is he correct or is he full of poo?
What do you do for a living? Just wondering.
Is there, in your eyes, a too much tax number? At what point would you vote no to additional tax? At what point would you stop pouring gasoline onto the fire?
Blame your heavily REPUBLICAN politicians... "they" are the ones making the Georgia laws and rules.....
Unless your greedy repubs politicians unlease & correct the mis-managed money they rake-in throught other taxes - from all that OVER-developement !!!
You do know that the City of Atlanta - the murder capital of the Southeast is run by Democrats right? I bet you feel real safe midnight on Simpson Street downtown - after all, Big D Democrats care about your safety there!
TSplost lost in Atlanta 62% to 38%; that means many of your fellow Democrats voted against it also. Take a swing at them, you partisan crybaby. And roadway gridlock would have continued even with TSplost. You need to educate yourself.
Come to think of it, Kelli is laughable all the way 'round.
In the meantime, partisan sniping such as you demonstrate in your posts helps no one. Don't be a dupe for a political party. The problem is politicians, demo or repub, who are more interested in building their career and power than in addressing our problems and leading with thoughtful solutions. As long as they can get people such as yourself to buy into the "us against the other guy" mentality, they can keep you distracted from the real problem.
In essence, the TSPLOST bill, contained a coercive poison pill, I call it extortion. Those counties within the districts that voted, no will have their Federal matching funds share, increased to 30%, for two years for any future federally funded projects, instead of the normal 10%. I write this asking, is this is not extortion on the state's part??? Why can't the 113 NO VOTING counties, not launch a class action lawsuit to over throw this odious arm twisting, and in my opinion, illegal penalty? Also, while the big fight has been won, now there is moping up to be done. Hopefully, any pro TSPLOST Senators and representatives, standing for reelection, will be defeated, and I hope everyone that will use any new found, anti TSPLOST contacts, to help defeat these elected officials. OUR state employees have taken notice, and some of their kind have already fallen at the ballot box. We have momentum lets not loose it now. Use it, and lets vote these unscrupulous supporters of this sneaky TAX out of office.
Stephen W. Ramsden Stephen W. Ramsden Stephen W. Ramsden Stephen W. Ramsden Stephen W. Ramsden Stephen W. Ramsden