T-SPLOST - Defeated in landslide!

Atlanta Region rejects T-SPLOST 63% to 37%

Editor — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 05:36:09 +0000

The 10 county Atlanta Region (3) rejects the transportation sales tax referendum in a landslide 63% to 37% – as well as 8 other regions. Three (3) regions say YES.

Go to the AJC.com page for the full results.

Thank you for voting!

July 31 Georgia Election Results – TSPLOST Referendum

Editor — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 20:06:26 +0000

Election results will be posted on the Sec. of State’s website.

CLICK HERE TO SEE RESULTS

Georgia Taxpayers Alliance: Keeping our money in our pockets and THEIR hands out!

Editor — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 23:39:33 +0000

GTA would like to thank everyone who have supported our effects to keep our taxes low as possible. Please visit our website and follow our work on Facebook.

www.GaTaxpayer.com

The Marietta Daily Journal – The TSPLOST Passage will obstruct progress

Editor — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 23:16:58 +0000

There are always at least 2 sides to every issue. Cobb County columnist Ron Sifen offers another perspective on the Transportation Sales Tax.

Ron Sifen

The TSPLOST was supposed to be about reducing traffic congestion.

The Atlanta Regional Commission has conceded that the TSPLOST projects list will do little to reduce regional commute times. The ARC says they are defining “alleviating traffic congestion” as meaning increasing the number of people who can reach a point in the region within 45 minutes. The ARC has conceded that this has nothing to do with improving the flow of traffic, and that it will have an insignificant impact on reducing commute times.

The reason that so many state legislators are now opposing the TSPLOST is that the projects list became a massive bait-and-switch. Most of the money, billions of dollars, is going to projects that will do little or nothing to improve the flow of traffic.

In public presentations on both July 12 and July 13, TSPLOST proponents said

* Light rail has NOTHING to do with reducing traffic congestion, and

* Light rail has NOTHING to do with moving people.

* Cities build light rail to promote economic development.

The Georgia Public Policy Foundation recently concluded that the TSPLOST projects list has “massive boondoggles that will put this state at a disadvantage for decades,“ and that “it would commit the region to wasteful spending on questionable projects for long past the 10-year sales tax.”

New TSPLOST Poll – 55% say “NO” – Please vote!

Editor — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 02:46:50 +0000

A new Channel 2 Action News/Rosetta Stone Communications poll shows voters are not yet convinced.

Thirty-five percent of the registered voters polled said they’ll vote for the measure. Fifty-five percent said they oppose the tax.

July 31 T-SPLOST Election Results

Editor — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 21:55:57 +0000

Be sure to check back with us on election night July 31 for the election results for the transportation referendum (T-SPLOST / TIA). We will post results ASAP.

tsplost atlanta54 t-splost20 tsplost19 t-splost georgia 201211 t splost10 georgia tsplost 20128 t-splost georgia4 atlanta tsplost4 vote no tsplost4 georgia t splost4 t splost vote4 ga splost vote3 cobb county “tsplost”3 georgia ballot july 31 20123 splost georgia 20123 ga t-splosh vote2 tsplost atlanta voting2 when is early voting july 31 2012 georgia splost2 vote no tsplost sign2 ga transportation splost cobb rail2 t-splos2 georgia transportation splost2 atlanta t splost2 2012 atlanta tsplost early voting locations2 georgia t-splost2 georgia splost referendum2 opposition to 2012 atlanta regional transportation referendum2 georgia voting july 31 20122 ga t splost2 t splost atlanta2 july 31 2012 douglas county ballet2 july 31 atlanta vote2 tsplost georgia2 ga july 31 vote2 polling of tsplost vote2 tsplost georgia 20122 cobb republican party questions on 7-31-12 ballot2 who is against tsplost in georgia2 atlanta voting july 312 pros and cons of georgia tsplost2 atlanta transportation tax poll2 georgia tsplost2 no to tsplost1 july 31st vote atlanta1 is coweta county georgia voting on tsplosh1 tsplost cobb county1 1% tax increase in ga1 splost atlanta1 tax referendum vote atlanta1 t splost ga1 voting july311 july 31 atlanta ballot1 tsplost and gdot1 atlanta tsplost vote1 how do i vote for t-splost1 vote no splost1 ga tsplost opposition1 vincent fort tsplost1 vote no t splost1 all about t-splos, georgia1 splost 4 ga voter1 against tsplost atlanta1 t-splost voting1 what are we voting for in cherokee county georgia1 opposition to atlanta ballot on july 311 ga transportation referendum opposition1 vote no on georgia transportation tax referendum1 tsplost tax1 georgia’s july 31 vote1 ga transportation tax why vote no1 ga transportation tax polling1 truth about georgia tsplost1 tsplost bill 20121 july 31 vote transform atlanta who donated1 july 31 transit vote georgia1 tsplost ga counties1 gwinnett splost vote 20121 tsplost transportation poll vote ga1 genuine parts company ga splost1 genuine parts company ga splost vote yes campaign1 splost georgia1 georgia vote july 311 amero replace the dollar july 31 20121 ga transportation splost 1% tax1 georgia splost regions1 which way to vote on tsplost1 when is the ga splost vote1 what county are in the transportation sales tax in georgia1 atlanta t-splost1 t-splost poll1 31 jul…republican views on vote in georgia1 georgia tsplost tax1 georgia splost1 http://www.t-splost.com1 t-splost in ga1 when to vote on tsplost1 transportation splost georgia1 tsplosh poll1 tsplost + gergia1 vote no on t spolist1 atlanta tsplost election1 georgia splost vote1 ga tsplost news1 issues for 7/31/2012 election in atl1 the leardership of 24|7|20121 sales tax election ga1 transportation leadership coalition1 t spost vote on july 31st1 what is the july 31 election for1 tsplost supporters1 tsplost coweta1 t splost in georgia1 tsplost atlanta i voted yes share facebook1 tsplost penny or 1%?1 georgia tsplost no signs1 what is the t splost1 truth of the transportation referendum in atlanta1 tsplost vote1 tsplost poll1 cox and ga power gives to t splost referendum – 20121 against yes for transportation1 tsplost vote cobb county ga1 t splost no vote to put on facebook1 tsplost marta1 t splost, vote no1 ga tsplot1 tsplost opposition1 georgia voting july 31, 20121 why no for t-splost1 ballot ffor tpslost1 atlnsplost1 early voting july 31 2012 georgia splost1 no tsplost1 1 percent tax ga1 vote no on tsplost

T-SPLOST: Response To The ARC ’10 Facts’ E-mail

Editor — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 20:27:02 +0000

From PATCH.com Tax Activist Mike Lowry offers this rebuttal to ARC twist on T-SPLOST:

Monday morning, July 23, the ARC sent out an email titled “10 Facts about the Regional Transportation Referendum”. I would like to respond.

1. Low spending and high congestion: Georgia ranks 48th in the nation in transportation spending per capita, and ranks 4th in total hours the average commuter spends in on the road each day.

Yes, we need to find more money for transportation. But first, we need to manage what we are spending more intelligently. GDOT has failed its last 4 audits and can’t seem to find about $1 billion. Also, according to ARC’s own analyst after we spend $8 billion on these projects the reduction in commute times will be “not much”.

2. Little room for expansion: Without additional funding, about 70 percent of metro Atlanta’s scheduled transportation dollars for the next 30 years will be spent on maintaining our current transportation network, leaving little room for expansion.

Again, we need to fix GDOT first. Maintaining the roads can only be efficient if they can prudently maintain their accounts.3. Congestion will increase as revenues decrease: Congestion will get worse as the region continues to grow – by some three million more people in the next 25 years. Meanwhile, gas tax revenues will continue to decline as cars become more fuel-efficient.

What’s interesting about this statement is that according to the ARC’s own projections the growth will occur in areas that are not a focus of this project list. Additionally, in the same breath they are screaming that we are “losing” growth to other cities. Adding 3 million more people doesn’t sound like “losing” to me.

4. Money stays here: All monies generated here by the 10-year, regional transportation referendum would stay in metro Atlanta and be invested in high-priority projects throughout our 10 counties, from interchange improvements at I-285 and GA 400, to road and safety improvements, to a new light rail line from the Lindbergh MARTA station to the Clifton Corridor.

How much of the already-allocated money for these projects will be redirected to other projects? What is the current origin-destination demand that is being met by the Clifton Corridor project? Wouldn’t it be met less expensively by bus? The I-285/GA400 project isn’t scheduled to start until 2020, and is 75% funded by federal dollars which aren’t yet secure. How can it be “high-priority”?

5. Positive return on investment: The economic impact over time on the Atlanta region would be far greater than the 1996 Olympics. The referendum investment would result in a $34.8 billion increase in gross regional product in the Atlanta region by 2040. That’s a 4-to-1 return on investment.

Once again, please let us know the underlying assumptions used in your model to get this result. Who realizes the return? What ridership assumptions? What reduction in trip times was used?

6. Job creation and retention: Some 200,000 jobs would be created or retained through the build-out of these new transportation projects. The positive economic effect equates to approximately 7,100 jobs each year from 2013 through 2040.

Already proven to be a false statement by Politifact. Job-years and manipulative assumptions yield an unrealistic number.

7. Business and workforce development opportunities: Policies for strong small business and minority contracting and workforce development efforts have been developed and adopted by key agencies responsible for the project build-out.

Is this about race? Increasing our taxes to provide even more entitlement preferences is not acceptable.

8. Cost savings to commuters: Commuters spend an average of $924 each year due to traffic congestion. Collectively, the time and fuel savings generated by referendum projects would allow residents to save $9.2 billion by 2040.

Again, not sure how the “not much” reduction in commute times can realistically affect the number. 2040 is 28 years from now. What’s the return inside the 10-year tax window. How many projects will be completed within that window? How will the ongoing costs be paid for? Are those ongoing costs included in the “savings” number?

9. Decrease in travel delays: Travellers will enjoy a 24 percent average decrease in future travel delays on roadways improved through road widening, new construction and improved interchanges.

What does the 24 percent mean in terms of minutes? A 24 percent reduction in a 10-minute delay is only 2.4 minutes.

10. Air quality benefits: Air quality improvement would be equal to taking 72,000 vehicles off the roads daily.

These will be offset by the emissions generated by running empty trains and busses all day long. On a total system basis, emissions will be greater for transit than for automobiles.

Get the real facts at www.TrafficTruth.net. Vote NO to the TSPLOST on July 31.

Want a “VOTE NO TSPLOST” Yard Sign?

Editor — Sat, 21 Jul 2012 19:06:04 +0000

To get a yard sign go to www.traffictruth.net . You can order signs there.

If T-SPLOST fails…. “The sky won’t fall”

Editor — Sat, 21 Jul 2012 18:47:43 +0000

GTA’s Bell predicts T-SPLOST will not pass

by Haisten Willis/Douglas County Sentinel

“This isn’t a penny tax, this is a 1 percent tax on virtually everything you buy,” Bell said.

A few weeks ago, the Kiwanis Club of Douglas County had a speaker come and tell the group about the positive aspects of T-SPLOST. To give all sides a fair shot, the club allowed local activist James Bell to speak on Friday.

Bell is the outspoken co-founder of a group called the Georgia Taxpayers Alliance (GTA) and offered what he called “alternative viewpoints” on the 10-year, 1 percent sales tax voters in the 10-county Atlanta region and across Georgia will decide on July 31.

GTA was founded by Bell and another activist in 2009 to speak for the citizens’ voice on many issues. The group has advocated on issues like property and sales taxes, and has conducted many rallies and media interviews.

“You might have seen me on the side of the road with a sign before,” Bell said.

Bell began by noting that T-SPLOST advocacy groups have a multi-million-dollar advertising campaign, but recent polls indicate the tax may not pass in the Atlanta region.Looking at Douglas County’s history with sales tax votes, he said it took multiple attempts for the SPLOST that is building the new jail to pass, and when approved it was by a slim margin. He said this shows local opposition to increases in sales tax.

Bell pointed out that some legislators who voted for the Transportation Investment Act, which is now usually referred to as the T-SPLOST, have changed their minds since the project list was drawn up. Groups like the Georgia Tea Party, Sierra Club and NAACP have also come out against it.

“This is the wrong tax at the wrong time with the wrong list,” he said.

Another issue Bell raised was whether Douglas County is a “donor county” that will put more money into the region than it will receive in projects. Various local leaders have reached different conclusions on the issue depending on how the finances were calculated.

In Bell’s case, he argued that even through the Interstate 20/I-285 interchange improvements under the T-SPLOST would benefit Douglas County, local funds should not pay for it because it lies in Fulton County.

Bell said some projects that are scheduled for Douglas County have been studied for years without action.

“Highway 6 (Thornton Road) has been studied to death, and we really see nothing,” he said.

On the same line of thought, he said some projects have already been funded, referencing comments from former Douglasville mayor Mickey Thompson that the Highway 92 realignment was ready for construction before T-SPLOST.

He also brought up differences in the region’s counties. Cobb County did not like the idea of a MARTA rail line entering the county, while parts of DeKalb County and Clayton County were upset there weren’t enough transit projects on the list.

Bell said the tax will hurt people’s wallets.

“This isn’t a penny tax, this is a 1 percent tax on virtually everything you buy,” he said.

Another issue Bell raised is what might happen if there are project overruns.

“The money has to come from somewhere,” Bell said.

As an alternative to the T-SPLOST tax and its projects, Bell said people should use van pools, car pools and GRTA bus service that already makes daily trips to Atlanta from Douglasville. He also argued that Highway 78 and I-20 are federal roads that should be upgraded and maintained with federal funds.

He predicted the tax will fail, saying, “It appears this tax will not pass.”

Bell offered a “Plan B” of an improved regional project list and a second vote in two years, but also advocated for dropping the idea altogether.

“T-SPLOST was ill-conceived,” said Bell.

Other alternatives Bell proposed include a SPLOST for only Douglas County and the idea that more companies might come to suburban counties like Douglas and Carroll if the tax fails and it isn’t easy to reach Atlanta.

“If this doesn’t pass, the sky won’t fall,” he said.

T-SPLOST Supporters List

Editor — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 15:36:21 +0000

Following is a March 16 list of donors to Citizens for Transportation Mobility’s upcoming advocacy efforts for the transportation sales tax referendum. This project is legally distinct from, but related to, the current educational marketing campaign by The Metro Atlanta Voter Education Network. Donors are listed in the order presented.

Cox Enterprises (AJC – WSB)

Georgia Association of Realtors

Georgia Power Co.

The Coca-Cola Co.

Yancey Bros. Co.

AT&T

C.W. Matthews Contracting Co.

Comcast

Cousins Properties Inc.

Delta Air Lines

Genuine Parts