The Georgia state conference of the NAACP is preparing to announce its opposition to the July 31 transportation tax referendums statewide, its president said.

A spokesman for the campaign to pass the Atlanta-area referendum, Jeff Dickerson, replied that the NAACP was "out of step with African-American leaders" on the issue. He cited supporters such as U.S. Reps. John Lewis and Hank Johnson, and former Ambassador Andrew Young.

All 12 regions of the state will vote in referendums July 31. Each region will consider a 10-year, 1 percent sales tax for a list of transportation projects in that region.

The NAACP's DeKalb County chapter already came out against the metro Atlanta region's tax, alleging insufficient mass transit for south DeKalb County. That area would receive a $225 million express bus system, not a new rail line. Georgia NAACP Conference President Edward O. DuBose said a majority of state members believed not enough African-Americans served on the executive committees that drafted project lists, and they feared that African-Americans won't get a fair share of the work contracts.

In metro Atlanta, the five-member executive committee was all white, until House Speaker David Ralston intervened and persuaded one member to step aside so Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed could join. Reed then played a pivotal role.

On the road projects, in cases where there is no federal subsidy, standard minority contractor hiring requirements will not apply, according to the state Department of Transportation. So the DOT's board passed a resolution to use such firms and veterans' firms whenever feasible.