Statewide transportation sales tax is dead
The statewide transportation sales tax legislation appears to be dead:
A plan that would create a statewide transportation sales tax appears to be short on votes in the House of Representatives said Smith, R-Pine Mountain. As a result, he and others have started work on a second plan which would allow regional development commissions the chance to put particular projects up to a funding vote.That is some semi-good news, but legislators are still attempting to create a crisis out of something that isn't. There is a shortfall in funding, but legislators should be spending the money they already have in a wiser fashion instead of supporting a tax increase.
State Rep. Donna Sheldon has the right idea. In the article, she is quoted as saying that the state should look to public-private partnerships, toll roads and managed lanes. GDOT should also reexamine projects and kill useless rail projects that benefit only a small fraction of commuters.
Comments
Good news. This would have been the biggest tax increase in the history of Georgia. RIP.
Posted by: John Douglas | March 1, 2008 05:44 PM
The price of building materials has risen over the past several years and will continue to rise. What is the legislature going to do when the tax fails to keep up?
Posted by: Kyle | March 3, 2008 02:32 PM
I think the failure of this tax is an indication of the dumming up of the legislative body of the state. Since when is it the responsibility of the majority of the taxpayers to fund the transportation of a very small fraction of commuters. This plan is nothing short of a few of those in power and those in planning to have "Uncle Charlie" have advance notice on where to buy property so the rest of us will have to pay sky high prices to buy it back so a si-fi train can be built on it.
Why not use the rails that transverse the towns that the Brainless Train bunch want to serve and have them work out a schedule with Southern Railways or whoever own the rails and then have private ownership of the railcars that would serve those who wanted to use them. I know of no rapid rail and for that matter public transportation system that is in use in America that is a break even system. And God knows those in Ga. that believe themselves to be expert in the transportation dept. are not exactly the sharpest knives in the drawer...if you know what I mean.
If you don't like the commute to Atlanta move to Atlanta. If you like the theater move to Atlanta, If you like pro football ,basketball,baseball,or any of the other venues the cities have to offer MOVE TO THE CITY . I don't like trains and wouldn't use it so I don't want to pay for it,but then again I pay for a lot of stuff I don't like,use or want I guess for the time we have dodged the "bullet" but you know how the politician are.
I am still looking for the ploy that "This is for the children and the elderly" card to be played.
I guess in closing I'll just say if you want to have a commuter train public transportation bus system please have someone show you the northbound side of I 75 or I 85 both of them will lead you to one of the northern cities that pride themselves on their criminally controlled public transportation systems . I find it ironic that so many are unaware that the interstate highways actually have a northbound lane.
Posted by: Don | March 3, 2008 04:28 PM