Voters to answer regional sales tax question on July 31

As of Monday, June 4, 2012
© Copyright 2013 Rockdale Citizen

AT A GLANCE:

If the majority of voters in the 10-county Atlanta Region and the city of Atlanta approve the July 31 referendum establishing a 1 percent transportation sales tax:

-- Approximately $6.14 billion is expected to be collected over the next 10 years;

-- Sales tax in Rockdale County is expected to generate about $104 million;

-- Four transportation projects in the amount of $94.3 million would be completed in Rockdale County between 2013 and 2019.

CONYERS -- Voters who head to the polls on July 31 to cast a ballot in the primary election will also have a chance to vote on a referendum that will establish a new sales tax to help fund transportation projects.

"I think that most people would agree these projects need to be built; the question is, do you think this is the right mechanism for building these projects," said Jim Jaquish, senior communications coordinator with the Atlanta Regional Commission.

-- What is T-SPLOST

The state Legislature passed the Transportation Investment Act in 2010 that would establish regional sales taxes if the majority of voters in those regions approve referenda to establish a 1 percent sales tax.

Voters in each of the state's 12 regional districts will be voting on a T-SPLOST to fund transportation projects in their respective districts. For example, Newton County is in the Northeast Georgia Region, and voters there will decide whether to impose a 1 percent sales tax for projects that will impact that region.

Rockdale County is in the Atlanta Region, which includes Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry and Rockdale counties and the city of Atlanta.

If the majority of voters within a region approve the referendum, the sales tax will go into effect in 2013.

-- How were the project lists created?

State economists predict that $6.14 billion will be generated in the Atlanta Region over 10 years by the sales tax, Jaquish said. The funds will be used for transportation projects throughout the 10-county region and the city of Atlanta.

As a result of the Transportation Investment Act, a roundtable of representatives from each county was established to develop the list of projects to be funded by the sales tax.

The Atlanta Region's roundtable consists of 21 members: each county's commission chairman and one mayor from a city within the county. The mayor of Atlanta was also included.

Jaquish said each jurisdiction had a wish list that was ultimately whittled from $23 billion to just over $6.1 billion

"One of the criteria is that the project list would be geographically balanced as much as possible," Jaquish said.

In other words, he said, the amount of revenue raised in one city or county may not equal the amount of transportation projects to be completed within that jurisdiction's borders.

In 11 of the state's regions, 75 percent of the funds raised from the sales tax will be used for the regional projects and 25 percent will be divided among the cities and counties for local projects.

The split for the Atlanta Region, however, is 85 percent for regional projects and 15 percent for local ones.

Rockdale County is expected to generate $104 million over the course of 10 years and should receive $94.3 million in road projects, making Rockdale what some would call a "donor county."

"When you look at just the projects built within their borders, quite a few counties would be considered donor counties," Jaquish said. "But if you look at all the projects that will benefit people going into Gwinnett or Atlanta or the (Hartsfield-Jackson) Airport, there are lots of other projects out there that will benefit them."

For example, improvements are slated at four interstate interchanges -- Spaghetti Junction, I-75/I-85, I-285/Ga. 400 and I-285/I-20 -- which will improve traffic coming in and out of Atlanta.

"(The roundtable) did discuss trying to keep things balanced, but they also realized that to build regional projects, they had to look more at what benefits that county's commuters than what is within the county," he said.-- What are Rockdale's projects?

According to the Atlanta Regional Roundtable's final investment list, four projects are within Rockdale County's borders. Those include: extending Sigman Road to Hayden Quarry Road in DeKalb County; widening Sigman Road from two to four lanes between Lester Road and Dogwood Drive; constructing a non-access bridge over I-20; and widening Flat Shoals Road to four lanes between Salem and Old Salem roads.

-- How will funds be distributed

Jaquish said if passed, the state would begin collecting revenue from the transportation sales tax in January. Projects are scheduled to occur in three bands: Band 1 to begin in 2013-2015; Band 2 to begin between 2016-2019; and Band 3 sometime between 2020-2022.

The widening of Sigman Road and Flat Shoals Road are Band 1 projects and the non-access bridge and Sigman Road extension are in Band 2.

The projects will be completed on a pay-as-you-go basis, Jaquish said.

The money will be collected by the Georgia Department of Revenue, which will then send the funds to the Georgia State Financing & Investment Commission. The Georgia Department of Transportation will be responsible for making sure road projects are built on time and on budget; the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority (GRTA) will oversee transit projects are completed.

Jaquish said a citizen's review panel will be established that is to provide oversight of all the projects. The group will establish a website and report to the Georgia General Assembly annually.

More like this story

2 projects cut from TSPLOST list ( July 9, 2011 )
Transportation list submitted for T-SPLOST ( March 30, 2011 )
TSPLOST referendum: Oden wants more local projects on list ( July 30, 2011 )
2 projects cut from TSPLOST list ( July 8, 2011 )
Rockdale gets most projects on SPLOST list ( June 3, 2011 )

Rob 11 months, 3 weeks ago

This right here is the number 1 problem with all of this "The money will be collected by the Georgia Department of Revenue, which will then send the funds to the Georgia State Financing & Investment Commission. The Georgia Department of Transportation will be responsible for making sure road projects are built on time and on budget; the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority (GRTA) will oversee transit projects are completed."

Simply put, Rockdale County, which they admit is a "donor county" will raise over $100 million dollars so all these bureaucrats can keep their jobs and enrich their lives at the taxpayers expense! This is why Oden and Mills are pushing this so hard. These people could care less about traffic, it's all about the money as with any politician. Yes, we have traffic problems, yes something needs to be done about it. But this is such an obvious waste of money that it's comical. $100 million plus to widen Sigman Rd. Really people? This is how you want these bureaucrats to spend our hard earned money? We really are fools!

heresyafacts 11 months, 3 weeks ago

Some of those involved in formulating this entire plan - and promoting it - have already admitted that it will do little to improve traffic problems. There are those who say this entire deal is 'better than nothing." I disagree.

szbrown 11 months, 3 weeks ago

Vote NO! These projects will come to fruition with or without the T-Splost. The last time we voted for a penny increase in sales tax they promised our property tax wouldn't go up - they lied! I'd like to know who paid for the huge billboard on I-20 pushing a "yes" vote? I certainly hope it wasn't our tax dollars!

buck 11 months, 3 weeks ago

Please vote NO to another lifetime donor tax!

ValuesPrinciples 11 months, 3 weeks ago

There are quite a few reasons to vote NO for this. For me, the most logical is this... We are in a recession, and most likely facing a world wide economical crisis.
This is certainly not a good time to face the increase of taxes to citizens, ESPECIALLY on a voluntary basis. People, you, yes, YOU have the choice in this matter, to decide to further burden yourself. Your property taxes are being raised by not only the counties, but also by the Rockdale School board! Neither of which have been responsive to you. This is on a local basis. The ARC is a Regional public / private enterprise, which is even less concerned with the dilemmas and troubles of the every day work-a-day Taxpaying Citizen. Our local govt has totally lost respect for the fact that We fund their existence. In fact, We forget that sometimes!
Are you really going to vote for more burdens on your already burdened life, your wallet, your kid's lunch money, groceries, fuel, heating and air conditioning, and on and on? The median income of the US has fallen 6%.... all of us make 6% less. Govt demands more, "Feed me Seymore" like a growling Venus Money Trap. Is it time to say NO to them? I could site many more reasons to vote NO, but its hard to get past this first point. Bonus thought, the ARC is not directly responsible to YOU the Taxpaying Citizen. Its another layer of mind-numbing bureaucracy. See traffictruth.net for even more info. Dont just blindly be dazzled by slick signs. (who do you think paid for those slick signs?) When did "Question Everything" go out of style?

AWOL 11 months, 3 weeks ago

I am not even reading this article. I will vote no. I have voted yes for these tax increases since I was 18 in the 80s and I will no longer do it. These politicians have enough of our money already. If they cut taxes, I mean really cut them, we will spend more and more jobs will be created and more people will pay income taxes. They need to put their hands back in their pockets and get out of our wallets. I dont know what this splost is for and dont care. We need to get smarter as voters. If they are giving us a choice for more taxes, I say we vote know. Unless we're real stupid.

johndoemo_ 11 months, 3 weeks ago

As long as they have to ask permission to tax us, we need to tell them no. No to all tax increases of any kind.

REK 11 months, 3 weeks ago

Vote no. You will see very little improvement in Rockdale. Cobb, Fulton and Gwinett will get the fixes they need at your expense.

BUBBA 11 months, 3 weeks ago

taxed enough allready

BOCWatch 11 months, 2 weeks ago

A better question for those that are reading/posting here is do you know which primary candidates are supporting/opposing this additional tax? In coming weeks there are several opportunities to find out...

http://bocwatch.org/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=825

You might just be surprised at what you find!

uawrob 11 months, 2 weeks ago

Rockdale is the smallest county in the region and like the article says we will be a donor county. That should make it easy for everyone in the county to vote NO.

Chris 11 months, 2 weeks ago

Voting No is easy, but it is also shortsighted. Voting no means funding is not available for a lot of critical projects in the forseeable future. The transportation problems will worsen and the solutions will be that much harder down the road. I'm voting Yes. For every $1000 I spend on retail purchases the T-Splost will increase my tax burden a measly ten bucks. I'll never know the difference. But it will improve roads that I use every day. It will help me, you, and the next generation. As a community we can do better than just saying no. No plan will ever be perfect or have unanimous agreement. This one has enough good in it to be worthwhile. We can vote No and get nothing, or we can vote Yes and get a lot. This should be an easy choice for the good of the whole community.

AWOL 11 months, 2 weeks ago

I used to think like you and I understand your opinion. But our leaders need to learn to make due with what they have. This splost thing is too easy for them. They need to learn how to plan for growth and put these kinds of things in their budget. Did no one in the last one hundred years think that we would need these improvements? They need to be putting money away for these projects and planning ahead. Not wasting money on frivolities then tell us they need more.

BOCWatch 11 months, 2 weeks ago

In 2010 the voters of Rockdale County approved a $75 million extension to the 2005 SPLOST, this SPLOST includes a number of departments. The largest portion of this extension (known as the 2011 SPLOST) is transportation, this SPLOST includes $33 million for transportation. If in fact these projects are so critical to our area then why were they not included in the county SPLOST?

AWOL is correct, officials spend money on what is important to THEM not what is important to the people. There are so many things wrong with this TSPLOST; there isn't room here to list them all. One at the top of the list for me is another layer of government; a managing authority that is NOT elected by the people. I'm certain that I read this somewhere...taxation without representation!

Sign in to comment

Or login with:

OpenID

Rockdale Citizen