TSPLOST opinions. (Atlanta, Columbus, Savannah: 2014, how much, home)

[WanderingImport]

Reading up on news articles and other city-data threads in Atlanta, I couldn't help but wonder what other Georgians' opinions are on the TSPLOST. (Hoping they aren't all negative, but willing to listen to any reasons as to why those who are against are against)

The articles on the TSPLOST projects out of Atlanta and Savannah area newspapers look promising & both respective cities need this IMO.

[cityrover]

let me leave this here. if it were such a good thing, why can't it self sustain? you see my car is self sustained. i pay for it entirely.

why can't your bus/train be the same? HMmm????????

good day.

[WanderingImport]

TSPLOST isn't just funding for transit. It will also pay for roads.

I think you just proved that not everyone is fully educated on this proposed tax.

[cityrover]

Originally Posted by WanderingImport

TSPLOST isn't just funding for transit. It will also pay for roads.

I think you just proved that not everyone is fully educated on this proposed tax.

its a tax. does it matter??

and its main idea is to once again, give money to atlanta and the failed marta. of course, they can't just make it 100% for that, that would be... "controversial"

how is this? more educated?

and they dont need to build more roads. they need to stop making toll lanes and enforce the left lane camping law. you can build 5000 lanes and if people block it, doesn't make a difference.

but again, we all know this is just another excuse to fund marta. AND in the long run are praying COBB and GWINNETT get stuck paying for it down the road by expanding it in their jurisdiction.

educated enough? come on, tell me you can read between the lines of what is really going on here

[WanderingImport]

Originally Posted by cityrover

its a tax. does it matter??

and its main idea is to once again, give money to atlanta and the failed marta. of course, they can't just make it 100% for that, that would be... "controversial"

how is this? more educated?

and they dont need to build more roads. they need to stop making toll lanes and enforce the left lane camping law. you can build 5000 lanes and if people block it, doesn't make a difference.

but again, we all know this is just another excuse to fund marta. AND in the long run are praying COBB and GWINNETT get stuck paying for it down the road by expanding it in their jurisdiction.

educated enough? come on, tell me you can read between the lines of what is really going on here

I'm sorry you feel that negatively about it. How else do you expect to pay for the roads you use without some type of tax? BTW, tolls are a good alternative to being taxed. Again, nothing is free.

BTW, the only toll I know of around here is the 400 and that toll is dirt cheap. Also, how has MARTA failed? The statistics show that MARTA has been a success and will continue to be a success provided there is an expansion. I believe that is MARTA's downfall is a lack of coverage.

I agree with you about those blocked lanes of traffic. That is a matter of lack of driver education. As far as that is concerned, I'm convinced that Georgia needs to stop giving out licenses to those who cannot and should not be behind the wheel. That is a whole other subject, however.

[AnsleyPark]

Originally Posted by cityrover

let me leave this here. if it were such a good thing, why can't it self sustain? you see my car is self sustained. i pay for it entirely.

why can't your bus/train be the same? HMmm????????

good day.

Of course you don't. Taxes pay for the roads upon which you drive. Good day.

[mike7586]

Originally Posted by cityrover

let me leave this here. if it were such a good thing, why can't it self sustain? you see my car is self sustained. i pay for it entirely.

why can't your bus/train be the same? HMmm????????

good day.

If it weren't for taxes, you would have nowhere to drive your "self-sustaining" car. Same thing goes for the gas you fill it up with...

[WanderingImport]

I had a feeling I would get replies from Atlanta area posters. What about posters from other parts of Georgia?? Still waiting to hear from you guys!

[cwkimbro]

I would really like to start hearing from more people around the state as well. I'm really curious.

Either way... I do think it is important this is looked at statewide, after all these regions will be penalized for not passing the tax. I'm doing some initial investigating. I found one interesting a list... A projection for how much money each of the 12 different regions would produce (as posted by the Central Savannah River Region June 14, 2011):

http://www.csrardc.org/docs/planning...ighlighted.pdf

The 2013-2022 Total Base Growth Estimate adjusted for inflation to 2011 $ is the following for each region:

• Northwest Georgia:
  • $1,267,996,446
  • (Includes Rome, Dalton, Catersville, and GA's Chattanooga suburbs)
  • Website: Northwest Georgia Regional Commission - Home Page
  • List: http://www.it3.ga.gov/Documents/Draf...rainedList.pdf
• Georgia Mountains:
  • $1,070,760,271
  • (Forsyth, Gainesville to Rabun Co.)
  • Website: Home
  • List: http://www.it3.ga.gov/Documents/Draf...rainedList.pdf
• Atlanta Regional Commission:
  • $7,223,732,208
  • Website: Welcome to the Atlanta Regional Commission
  • List: http://www.atlantaregionalroundtable.com/docs/Constrained_Draft_Final_List.pdf (broken link)
• Three Rivers:
  • $806,067,514
  • (Cowesta, Largrange, Carrollton)
  • Website: Three Rivers Regional Commission > Home
  • List: http://www.it3.ga.gov/Documents/Draf...rainedList.pdf
• Northeast Georgia:
  • $840,563,937
  • (Athens)
  • Website: Northeast Georgia Regional Commission
  • List: http://www.it3.ga.gov/Documents/Draf...rainedList.pdf
• Middle Georgia:
  • $748,740,139
  • (Macon, Warner Robins)
  • Website: Middle Georgia Regional Commission
  • List: http://www.it3.ga.gov/Documents/Draf...rainedList.pdf
• Central Savannah River Area:
  • $718,621,178
  • (Augusta)
  • Website: CSRA Home
  • List: http://www.it3.ga.gov/Documents/Draf...rainedList.pdf
• River Valley:
  • $507,771,349
  • (Columbus)
  • Website: River Valley Regional Commission - Columbus, GA and Americus, GA
  • List: http://www.it3.ga.gov/Documents/Draf...rainedList.pdf
• Heart of Georgia:
  • $340,698,756
  • (Vidalia)
  • Website: style
  • List: City: http://www.it3.ga.gov/Documents/Draf...alProjects.pdf
  • List: Regional: http://www.it3.ga.gov/Documents/Draf...ectListing.pdf
• Southwest Georgia:
  • $453,389,868
  • (Albany, Colquitt, Bainbridge)
  • Website: Southwest Georgia Regional Commission | Welcome | Welcome to the Southwest Georgia Regional Commission's website!
  • List: http://www.it3.ga.gov/Documents/Draf...rojectList.pdf
• Southern Georgia:
  • $572,827,906
  • (Tifton, Valdosta)
  • Website: Southern Georgia Regional Commission
  • List: http://www.it3.ga.gov/Documents/Draf...rainedList.pdf
• Coastal:
  • $1,369,385,131
  • (Savannah, Brunswick, every Coastal County)
  • Website: http://www.crc.ga.gov/default.aspx
  • List: http://www.it3.ga.gov/Documents/Draf...-draftlist.pdf

Each of these 12 regions has a regional commission website and has submitted a constrained. The constrained lists are all posted here (+ reports/presentations): Roundtable

A map of the regions and a link to each regional commissions' websites are here: GARC | Georgia Association of Regional Commissions

Other important links for consideration:
Statewide Strategic Transportation Plan: http://www.it3.ga.gov/Documents/Final-SSTP.pdf
Statewide Freight Plan: http://www.dot.state.ga.us/informati...plan_oct06.pdf
Georgia Statewide Transportation Plan: http://www.dot.state.ga.us/informati...t_feb_2007.pdf

I think I might periodically pick one region to read through and perhaps summarize and highlight what they seem to be doing and see if the commissions have any prepared maps to post. It would be great if an fellow C-D geeks wanted to do this as well

Since this is a general statewide post...
I thought of a few statewide issues that could potentially be discussed...
1) Which counties would have been better off in a different region? why?
2) What happens to borderline counties, especially ones that might arguably been better off in another region? Are investments being made to help connect them to the bordering region? (Ex: Southern Forsyth County connecting with Gwinnett, Cherokee and North Fulton)
3)Are any regions seem to be working together?
4) Are rural counties making any efforts to follow the GRIP plans or are they ignoring those corridors completely and hoping the GDOT will continue to fund those?
5) Are the regions investing in the Statewide Transportation Plan?
6) Are the regions investing in the Statewide Freight Plan?
7) One of the benefits of this tax was suppose to be money in each region... comes from that region and stays in that region. This was originally suppose to prevent arguments like money being siphoned away from larger cities. However, this doesn't influence how money is spent within each region. I was reading the website of Central Savannah River Area (13 Counties, including Augusta) and it made a point to mention 10 of the counties are revenue recipients and the ones that were included Richmond and Columbia. These counties are the bulk of Augusta. In this case money is clearly going from the city to the surrounding exurban and rural counties. Is this trend true all of the non-ARC regions? Are any reversed? Also, are their any regions that lose out, because they do not include a large anchor city? Are rural counties, such as the Heart of Georgia not getting as much investment as a rural county in another region that includes Savannah, Augusta, Macon, etc...?
8) Are there any particular emphasis near our borders? (examples of places to look... Augusta, Columbus, Savannah, Chattanooga Southern Suburbs in GA, etc...)

[Augusta Native]

Well I would think that this will easily pass in the Augusta area, there are several projects in both Richmond and Columbia counties that really could use this extra funding, example the extension of Riverwatch pkwy from Eastern Columbia county into Central Columbia county, though it is true that these 2 counties will provide the bulk of the tax revenue and distribute it among the others, it will be beneficial for everyone in this region to help improve some of the infrastructure in the outlying areas, also the voters in these 2 counties out number all the others by 2 to 1 so if Richmond and Columbia Counties say yes then the others will have to go along. I would think that the other 3rd of the Augusta region Aiken, Edgefield counties in SC are probably watching to see how the T-splost benefits or hurts the GA side, if the positives (improved infrastructure and transportation) outweigh the negatives (a rush of GA shoppers crossing into SC to purchase goods that are cheaper because of cheaper taxes) they may push for their state to do something similar or ask to be allowed to opt in with their local T-splost. The same could be said for other border regions of Georgia that consist of Metros or trade areas in 2 states.