The Georgia Democratic Transportation Plan

Georgia was a transportation hub 20 years ago. Through wise investment and keen foresight, our state had ample infrastructure to support jobs, businesses, and livability.

In the 2000’s, Georgia fell behind other southern states in this area. Federal dollars for transportation are most often acquired as a matching grant; for example, in 1998 we were promised $100 million from the federal government if Georgia could raise $20 million. Sounds like a fair deal, unless you consider that over a decade later, Georgia never raised the $20 million. Worse yet? The deadline passed last year.

Another example is Florida, which recently passed legislation to accumulate $15 million per year to qualify for matching grants from the US government. Their state government received over $1 billion dollars for transportation. Florida is using the money to create high-speed rail from Orlando to Tampa.

Meanwhile, Georgia citizens will be stuck in traffic. 

One final example can be found in North Carolina, which will be upgrading track from Charlotte to Washington DC with over $500 million in stimulus dollars. This project will increase jobs, raise property values, and spur development. North Carolina received the money because they had raised $300 million on their own since 1992.

There are two parts to the Democratic plan to overhaul our outdated transportation needs. First, the proposal allows counties to group together and ask voters to hike the state sales tax by one cent. This additional penny is pledged to fund transportation projects, and is similar to a Republican plan that has failed to win approval the last two years.

One key issue? The plan calls for a citizen vote this year. Other GOP-backed plans call for a vote in 2012, which is simply too long for the state to wait.

The second part of the plan dedicates one penny of the current gasoline tax to transportation. Currently, this penny goes directly into the general fund with no restrictions. Under the Democratic plan, this penny would be used to win future federal transportation grants. It would total about $137 million per year.

Both parts of the plan are constitutional amendments; they would require a two-thirds majority in order to pass.

By passing this legislation, Georgia would qualify for federal funds that could alleviate the gridlock in Atlanta’s rush hour traffic, provide high-speed rail between Atlanta and Athens (or Savannah!) or create innovative solutions that haven’t even been thought of yet.

For perspective, let’s look at the 1950’s. At that time, Atlanta and Birmingham were similar in size. Birmingham decided not to expand their airport. Atlanta did.

And we became an entirely different state then our neighbors to the west.

If transportation isn’t addressed, this might be the moment that Charlotte(!) began to overtake Atlanta as the business leader in the south. They will have high-speed rail from Charlotte through Virginia and to Washington DC soon.

For more on this topic, here is Democratic Party Chair Jane Kidd discussing the problem in the Macon Telegraph.