The Latin American Chamber of Commerce of Georgia has scheduled a press conference to voice its support for the transportation referendum on July 31. The event at 10 a.m. on Thursday at Atlanta City Hall, 55 Trinity Ave., will feature Mayor Kasim Reed and representatives of the chamber, the Georgia Hispanic Construction Association and the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials.

The chamber said the construction jobs that could be created by the T-SPLOST, as the proposed 1 percent sales tax is commonly called, would help small and disadvantaged business owned by Hispanics.

"Our region's future growth and economic viability depends on a solution to our transportation issues," the group said in a statement. "We need to regain our competitive edge."

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