Opposition to the proposed regional transportation tax continues in Cobb County where some members of the county’s legislative delegation again challenged Cobb’s project list on Monday.
During the delegation’s Legislative Listening Day at Chattahoochee Technical College, Commission Chairman Tim Lee spoke to the group about the tax, that if approved by voters next year is expected to yield $6.14 billion for regional transportation projects. Much of the delegation, including chairman Rep. Ed Setzler, have argued that Cobb’s initial plan for a $856 million rail line from the Cumberland area to the Arts Center MARTA station wouldn’t help alleviate traffic and wouldn’t benefit enough of the county’s residents. They have also opposed the revised $689 million plan that includes money for premium bus service up to Acworth and money for some type of transit along the I-75/US 41 corridor.
Rep. Rich Golick (R-Smyrna) said local leaders on the regional roundtable failed to deliver projects that would actually deliver traffic relief, and said Cobb voters could play a decisive role in defeating the tax next year.
Setzler (R-Acworth) called the entire regional transportation plan a “$6.1 billion bait-and-switch” that was presented as a way to alleviate traffic congestion in metro Atlanta, but became more about economic development.
Concerns about the transportation tax process could also impact lawmakers’ decisions on how transit governance is viewed, Setzler said. A Transit Governance Task Force is working to develop metrowide mass transit legislation for the 2012 General Assembly.
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