It's a question that will be on every metro Atlanta ballot on July 31: whether to approve a one-percent sales tax throughout the entire area for transportation improvements.
T-SPLOST is a transportation sales tax refererendum that, if approved, will fund $8.5 billion for projects in 10 counties. The project list includes some of the region's most heavily traveled roads - from in Buckhead to the - as well as .
, as do . Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed and other T-SPLOST supporters have been holding Q&A sessions in areas such as , , and other areas in which major projects are proposed.
But , and UGA Professor of Political Science Charles Bullock says .
Ultimately, however, the issue rests in your hands at the ballot box. And Patch wants to know how you feel about T-SPLOST from throughout the metro Atlanta area. So take our poll, and share your thoughts in the comment section below.
And follow T-SPLOST throughout Georgia on Patch's T-SPLOST Facebook page.
Why can't Marta go straight up or UNDER 400 with stops at every exit? Why can't Marta take my family to a Braves game? This solves a massive amount of traffic. Just sayin...
I didn't know the grammar police were in full force. Guess I missed a few typos, but you two missed all the points of the argument since you were too busy playing English teacher. And BTW, deflecting questions is the sign of a weak debator.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWpU8sX10_4 I could not resist
They got a point : "Georgia companies have poured millions of dollars into a campaign for a sales tax increase to fund transportation improvements, with hundreds of thousands of dollars in contributions flowing from road builders and others in the construction industry who could see their business boom if the measure is approved"
pay for the roads. Fulton & Dekalb residents are on the roads for less miles than other counties and already pay a one cent transportation tax!!
As to the gas tax comment, yes its far superior. Unlike a sales tax on essential groceries it doesn't mask or subsidize the region's over dependence on roads. Our already institutional subsidization and government promotion of car oriented development is a major reason we drive more per person than other major cities in the U.S..
Now...what do you think the chances are of that happening?
Here is a list of contributors of $100,000 or more, according to the report: Clear Channel Outdoor Inc. - $295,000 National Association of Realtors - $281,000 Cox Enterprises Inc. - $250,000 Georgia Highway Contractors Association - $250,000 Georgia Power Co. - $250,000 C.W. Matthews Contracting Co. Inc. - $200,000 The Coca-Cola Co. (NYSE: KO) - $187,500 Delta Air Lines Inc. (NYSE: DAL) - $150,000 The Home Depot Inc. (NYSE: HD) - $150,000 Yancey Brothers Co. - $150,000 Vulcan Materials Co. - $105,000 AGL Resources Inc. (NYSE: GAS) - $100,000 AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) - $100,000 Carlyle Fraser Employees Benefit Fund - $100,000 IntercontinentalExchange Inc. (NYSE: ICE) - $100,000 Jamestown Properties - $100,000 Newell Rubbermaid Inc. (NYSE: NWL) - $100,000 Post Apartment Homes L.P. -$100,000 Rock-Tenn Co. (NYSE: RKT) - $100,000 Siemens Industry Inc. - $100,000 SunTrust Banks Inc. (NYSE: STI) - $100,000 Turner Broadcasting Inc. - $100,000 United Parcel Service Inc. (NYSE: UPS) - $100,000
PLEASE THINK ABOUT THIS: If you owned a major corporation and there was a proposal about to be voted on that could POTENTIALLY (nothing is for sure! they are taking a risk here!) provide tremendous business growth for your company in the next 10 years, you would be absolutely FOOLISH not to contribute to the campaign. It doesn't make them bad guys. There is no major conspiracy brewing here. It is smart business!!!!!!!!
While I agree that Obama has been a disappointment overall, I don't understand how passing TSPLOST will insulate Georgia from the rest of the country. Please elaborate.
Regarding the port, just what is in the TSPLOST that will help with Freight Traffic? Is the TSPLOST funding capacity enhancements to our congested freight rail lines? NO. Which is a shame because they could fund Commuter Rail and address commuter congestion and while doing that also add capacity to the Freight rail system. Heck their isn't even a major highway project directed at the truck freight. That's going to go up 75 since the rest goes up 95 Not 85 from the port
"hopefully we will have a leader and not an arrogant divider." Oh yes because John Boehner and Eric Cantor are just the nicest folks and they didn't mean it when they said that they don't want the economy to recovery to quickly because it would help Obama. "Other than saving the banks, he has thrown our tax dollars away." What does this mean? " Now he wants to spend it on infrastructure," Most of the stimulus money spending went to infrastructure projects. " http://www.usnews.com/news/stimulus/articles/2009/05/22/obamas-stimulus-projects-wont-amount-to-major-infrastructure-overhaul Oh and by the way as a part of the stimulus Obama has lowered taxes for everyone. I'm not trying to insult just calling it as it is.
A regressive tax to line the pockets of fat cats. Hurry Click the link if you would like to attend this Gala Fundraiser for the 6 million dollar TSPLOST campaign, rumor has it that it moves you up the list for winning the lucrative road building projects. http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=4odggocab&v=001lCvgE9Gdh_besgvMft8ZjiqCLAy2omJJ0mvqoJuZTSjYEE6h2GYW8q1TAUd3jKVTpcMEXQqYVAoTZcQHkTvd6_u5jjDoYsHB3Sq3PMNC9M1CDkrmXI8j2Vk0H-sByNxCVTpcMEXQqYVAoTZcQHkTvd6_u5jjDoYsHB3Sq3PMNC9M1CDkrmXI8j2Vk0H-sByNxC
It's amazing how far the Obama campaign has sunk - the Presidency is now in the same league as a Food Network challenge.