The Vote:
On July 31,2012, residents from 10 counties across metro Atlanta will have the opportunity to vote on a referendum that would fund $8.5 billion in transportation improvements through a regional sales tax.
Counties participating- Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry and Rockdale counties.
The Process:
A group of 21 elected leaders from around the region (county commission chair from each county, a mayor representative plus the mayor of Atlanta) were appointed to a regional roundtable which was charged with producing a final list of transportation projects to be funded through the referendum. In coordination with the Atlanta Regional Commission, the roundtable of officials undertook an unprecedented amount of public outreach, engaging hundreds of thousands of residents in the public comment process through telephone town halls and public forums. The final list of more than 150 projects was approved in October of 2011. (that list along with an interactive map can be found at https://www.transformmetroatlanta.com)
What does it mean:
The Atlanta Regional Commission conducted both an economic and travel benefits analysis of the proposed referendum and here are some of the results-
- There will be an average 24% decrease in travel delays for roadways improved with referendum funding
- An estimated 4-1 return on public investment- The region stands to gain an additional $34 billion in gross regional product by 2040.
- $9.2 billion in travel time savings
- 200,000 new jobs created or supported
- 34,000 supported construction jobs
- Improved access to major job centers
- Reduced idling will lead to air quality benefits equivalent to taking 72,000 vehicles off the road daily
Please take the time to find out the facts by visiting either-
https://www.transformmetroatlanta.com or https://www.metroatlantatransportationvote.com
