Transportation Bill Sails Through Senate

The State Senate passed a transportation bill Tuesday that is favored by Atlanta business groups and takes a regional approach to funding projects.

It would leave a decision to raise taxes up to voters. Yet the bill is designed with Metro Atlanta in mind. The area already has a ten county region. The bill aims to let those counties charge a one percent sales tax to fund transportation projects. Other counties would vote on the measure individually or as a group of neighboring counties.

Senator Kasim Reed from Atlanta says improving the state’s roads and traffic problems is key to growing the state.

“This bill is about job creation and maintaining metro-Atlanta’s dominance and our state’s dominance as a place where business can grow, work and thrive.”

Atlanta business groups like the Senate bill because they believe the projects would ease congestion and aide the economy. The House, for its part, prefers a statewide tax that funds designated projects across Georgia. That plan would cost $25 billion over ten years.

Transportation Bill Can Wait if Needed, Say Senate Leaders

The Georgia State Senate is expected to pass a transportation bill Tuesday, that could ultimately lead to regional taxes to fund regional transportation projects.

The House has unveiled their plan, which would ask voters to implement a statewide sales tax for fixed statewide projects.

Yet, the differences between the two might not be worked out this session, according to Senate Republican Majority Leader, Chip Rogers.

"It’s a 2010 ballot issue. While we would love to pass it out this session so we could go around the state and explain what’s in the measure, we also recognize that we’re not under any hard deadline until the next session."

The House version would cost 25 billion dollars over 10 years, and lists specific projects to be completed. We'll post a link when the legislation is placed online.