Political Insider

By pdubATL

February 11, 2009 4:25 PM | Link to this

I’m a big fan of the idea to use lane miles and VMT to allocate road funding. No longer would Atlanta’s fuel tax revenues be sent to south Georgia in the interest of “Congressional Balancing”.

By Pedagogue's Demagoguery

February 11, 2009 4:48 PM | Link to this

Washington, Dishonestly.

We did not elect a Muslim to the white house. We did not elect a socialist or a traitor, either. We elected a black man to the white house. I noted long ago that Obama never said anything of substance.. No successful candidate should ever fix his position too clearly, so I wasn’t alarmed. However, considering the cultural gap between me and the president, and the rise of alternate languages like Ebonics, and the resurrection of older code, like Gullah, I may have missed Obama’s message entirely. He may have been saying everything, just not in a language I could ever decipher. (One logarithmic step past Pig Latin, and I’m lost.)

But the black president knows what he meant. The Stimulus Package is the Rosetta Stone of the Obama Campaign Jive.

Have we been had? Are we to endure 4 years of this new vengeful, spendthrift spirit who seeks to overturn centuries of socio-economic injustices in America? Will we pay as this black president ensures that our poor minorities enjoy schools and hospitals? Schools and Hospitals? He sounds like the Hamas on the West Bank. They’re forever providing food and medicine and classrooms for homeless Palestinians. Hamas isn’t as bad as Hezbollah in Lebanon, but they’re not a model I want our White House to emulate.

If we can get through this 1000 or so days of MC Camelot, and manage to still have an economy from which to draw campaign contributions so that the silent middle class majority can enjoy the use of their own money again, then we’ll all look back on this administration and laugh. It was just a bump in the road to prosperity. Now, we’ve come to a fork in the road to representative democracy. We better take it. Honestly.

By BigPoppa

February 11, 2009 6:53 PM | Link to this

Sounds like another attempted power grab by the Republicans. They should be prosecuted NOT empowered!

By sonny is not good

February 11, 2009 10:39 PM | Link to this

In 2005-2006 Sonny Purdue forced GDOT basically to due 4 times the amount of projects and basically bankrupted them. Then he threw his person Harold Lennokohl under the bus for Sonnys mistakes. Then hired Gena, who by the way is also the director of SRTA. And people think that GDOT caused the problems, nope the fat man in office has been trying to distruct GDOT since 2005 fast forward, guess with this change, he will get his way. Its going to be SOOO BAD when you republicans are paying tolls everywhere and them outsourcing everything at 3 times the cost. Get used to it, your going to get screwed, this is just the beginning. If you don’t think this is politics your fools. let the republicans who bankrupted the country run the transportation system, sounds like a GREAT idea. Expect dirt roads and FISH PONDS. Its your money.

By Harry

February 12, 2009 9:57 AM | Link to this

Here is my two cents… This is a horrible plan!! This plan proposes to allow the knuckle heads under the gold dome make a determination on how transportations funding should be made for each and every year. Isn’t that what we had in the state of Georgia before the current set-up of the State Transportation Board is now? Political favors will run rampant throughout the state. And those with the most dough, connections etc., will be the ones that get the projects… at the will of these 3 positions. Most of the folks there think they are transportation planners and engineers because they drive cars, but there is much, much more to transportation than an ability to utilize common sense. Who is advising these folks on this?

I would much prefer to see some sort of a connection to land use planning and transportation dollars than this major reorganization effort. The VMT analysis is a good one, but I see this as an effort to strangle the supply of funds that go to GDOT for many required operations, maintenance, and design requirements. I guess we can thank the current GDOT commissioner for her ineptness and puppet status that has allowed this plan to get this far along. This plan would most definitely allow for some major tampering with a state department that has given us some of the best roads in the nation for many, many years. If there is any opportunity for this to be steered in another directions, all of Georgia great American Citizens MUST step up IMMEDIATELY. If this goes forward, it will be a very sad day in Georgia politics and will forever affect the lives and businesses of Georgians.

By Hman

February 12, 2009 10:03 AM | Link to this

Here is my two cents… This is a horrible plan!! This plan proposes to allow the knuckle heads under the gold dome make a determination on how transportations funding should be made for each and every year. Isn’t that what we had in the state of Georgia before the current set-up of the State Transportation Board is now? Political favors will run rampant throughout the state. And those with the most dough, connections etc., will be the ones that get the projects… at the will of these 3 positions. Most of the folks there think they are transportation planners and engineers because they drive cars, but there is much, much more to transportation than an ability to utilize common sense. Who is advising these folks on this?

I would much prefer to see some sort of a connection to land use planning and transportation dollars than this major reorganization effort. The VMT analysis is a good one, but I see this as an effort to strangle the supply of funds that go to GDOT for many required operations, maintenance, and design requirements. I guess we can thank the current GDOT commissioner for her ineptness and puppet status that has allowed this plan to get this far along. This plan would most definitely allow for some major tampering with a state department that has given us some of the best roads in the nation for many, many years. If there is any opportunity for this to be steered in another directions, all of Georgia great American Citizens MUST step up IMMEDIATELY. If this goes forward, it will be a very sad day in Georgia politics and will forever affect the lives and businesses of Georgians.

By Roadking

February 12, 2009 10:41 AM | Link to this

The second part to all of this reorganization is the “Alternatetive Project Delivery Sysytem” whereby they do not have to award the project to the low bidder. Projects will be negoitiated with the “Most Qualified Contractor”.

By yep

February 12, 2009 2:03 PM | Link to this

I think GDOT should just be called GDOR because they are the Georgia Dept of Roads-and basically nothing else. We need alot more rail and sidewalks around the Atlanta area.

By BigPoppa

February 12, 2009 3:14 PM | Link to this

Two things to suggest to anyone who could potentially support this plan.

1) Take a drive through Florida, South Carolina, or Alabama. Look at the poor condition of their roads and bridges. Notice the marked difference when you cross back over the GA line.

2) Realize that this plan would change the way our highway system is managed. Our system would be significantly closer to the systems FL and SC currently use. A VERY bad idea for the citizens of GA and anyone passing through the Peach state!

By Amazed and Dismayed

February 12, 2009 4:26 PM | Link to this

First, lets recap how we got to this place in transportation. Before I began, let me state that I voted for Sonny Perdue. Roy Barnes, whom I voted against, laid the foundation for progressive transportation plan that floundered once Sonny came into office. Ok, afterall, this was a guy from Bonaire, GA where there are what one, two? redlights? He cannot begin to understand the need for a comprehensive and progressive transportation system. So, he waits 6 years into his adminstration and suddenly wants to blame everyone else but himself for the existing and unmanageable problems we have in transportation. Does GDOT has serious flaws? Absolutely! But so does DHR and a number of other agencies. How does Sonny propose to fix those flaws? First, he appointed a woman who while sporting a PhD, does not have the integrity or management skills needed to address the issues. Oh, thats right, she found GDOT was in debt, couldn’t identify the number of projects, etc. All of that is smoke and mirrors. Every state contiguous to GA has accrual accounting for transportation and do not understand what the fuss is here. As for the number of projects, GDOT knew, she just didn’t know the questions to ask. Even her former professors were telling people she didn’t know what she was talking about. Those were interesting comments. Then we find out she has engaged in numerous inappropriate relationships with work colleagues including having an affair with her then boss, now husband, and chairman of the Board. Ok, enough about the Evans woman. Sonny wants to reorganize and grab the power for himself. Why would anyone listen to this man about transportation? He has sat on the sideline for 6 years, appointed a women who has made GA the butt of unsightly jokes and suddenly wants to point the finger elsewhere and grab the power to do what? His track record to date does not inspire my confidence or vote. I hope the Speaker/Lt. Gov. will not let him get away with this absurd idea unless they change the formula and they get to appoint three members each and the “secretary of transportation”. p.s. if Roy runs agin, I will correct my vote next time.

By SRTA

February 12, 2009 6:28 PM | Link to this

Don’t people think its funny, that the organization that will be top dog is the smallest one. SRTA was made to take tolls mainly for GA 400. And don’t people remember that Sonny Purdue said, as soon as 400 was finished the toll booth would go away? Well its still there, Just like all his lies. Just like Amazed, DOT has problems. Gena gave the speech that GDOT was fine financially till the year of 2005-2006 then suddenly DOT’s money dispaeared. But she didn’t say how or why? The reason why was Sonny Purdue’s Fast Forward program, ptractically bankrupted DOT, then he threw the old commisioner under the bus. And hired Gena and her questionable past basically to make DOT look like a bunch of idiots. Most of DOT’s Engineers who design the roads are Georgia Tech graduates, their not idiots. The only idiot is Sonny Purdue that is trying to make a power play and get his hands on DOT’s money. You do not give the sole power to one party thats what the DOT board is for its called Democracy. Too bad Sonny doesn’t know what that word means. Sonny has been lying ever since the fight over the flag.

By dottie

February 12, 2009 7:08 PM | Link to this

It seems that this has been the year to bash GDOT. Yes, this agency, like all others, has had problems, but there are many positives as well. If GDOT was not doing it’s job, would Georgia consistently be commended for the best maintained roads? Who clears the highways when Mother Nature unleashes her wrath? GDOT employees respond day and night to incidents. While other agencies were increasing their personnel, GDOT has decreased from over 9000 to current levels. GDOT is alloted 6200 +/- employees - current levels are about 5500 - that is nearly a 11% cut!!!! Without forcing people out to drain other state services such as unemployement and food stamps. The money that pays to take care of the roads that are already built does not come from Washington - it comes from the gas tax…. No other source….. So, stimulus money will not help…only funding sources from within the state. You need employees to remove the dead animals, replace signal bulbs, stripe the roads, mow the grass, remove ice and fallen trees…. And - if GDOT was not having to pay 25% of their gas tax funds to pay for Gov. Perdue’s unfunded mandate of fastfowarding projects rather than waiting for Federal funds, we would not be in this crisis. We could take care of our own AND maintain services!!!!

By DES

February 12, 2009 11:46 PM | Link to this

Just ole crook Sonny wanting to get his hands in other cookie jars. What a power hungry poor excuse for a Governor we have. I still think the F.B.I. should come in and investigate his crooked land deals and unsecured bank loans. Has he defaulted on the loans yet? What a joke Sonny Perdue is!!!!