» Read an opposing point of view
Gwinnett is successful because it has a long history of building consensus about the things that are most important and then acting together on a shared vision. You can see the results of this approach in our award-winning schools, our nationally recognized parks, our high-quality public safety services and a transportation system that includes an impressive road network, a heavily used express bus system, an intra-county transit system and a busy general aviation airport.
Today, planning and building our transportation system is more complicated and costly than ever. And the support of the voting public has never been a more important factor, with local funding for transportation purposes highly dependent on voter approval of referenda.
While only one method of moving people is the focus of recent discussions, mobility is a broad issue with many facets that interact with other components of the community to create a good place for people and businesses. For example, moving freight is also important to the economic vitality of Gwinnett and its residents and businesses. The mobility of people and freight must be considered in conjunction with each other and decisions made about how best to address needs in both areas so we can prioritize transportation investments.
As we look forward to improvements to the Panama Canal and the Port at Savannah, we know that Gwinnett stands to gain a great deal. According to a study by Georgia Tech’s Center for Quality Growth and Regional Development, Gwinnett can expect to see more positive economic impact from increased port activity than any other county in the state besides Fulton.
The same study indicates that Gwinnett will gain more jobs from increased port activity than any other county. Job creation and growth in economic activity are primary goals of our economic development efforts because these help build a sound community and provide individuals opportunities.
While not all of this impact will be tied directly to freight movement, a large portion of it will be. And, in Georgia, the majority of freight moves by truck. To take full advantage of port-generated economic growth, we have to continue to enhance our Gwinnett road network, and we have to work with the state to advocate for critical transportation arteries, like I-85 and SR 316, not just for improvements inside Gwinnett, but also for upgrades outside our county borders.
We are taking essential steps that will serve Gwinnett well. Our commitment to extend Sugarloaf Parkway represents a decision to create an alternate route to distribute traffic through the county and serve as a connector among existing major routes that bypasses current traffic bottlenecks. Such options will enhance mobility of both people and freight, which is good for quality of life and good for economic success.
With the wide range of issues that face Gwinnett, we must focus on the big picture and ensure that we maintain fundamental services. We must also be sensitive to what voters are willing to support. Attempting to push a ballot initiative related to any issue on an unwilling group of voters is a losing proposition for our community — the time and energy spent on it could be better utilized in making progress in areas where there is greater community consensus.
Perhaps the best recent example of pushback from the public on ballot initiatives is the regional transportation sales tax referendum of 2012. That referendum failed overall in the Atlanta area by a two-to-one margin, despite polling more favorably. The opposition in Gwinnett County was even greater, with 71 percent of the votes cast being “No” votes. The referendum did not pass in any metro county, and only three counties had more than 40 percent of votes in favor.
Some of the reasons cited as the basis for opposition to the regional TIA sound very much like what we hear from folks who oppose paying an additional sales tax for expansion of MARTA into Gwinnett. These include concerns such as no public participation in project selection, lack of trust that funds will be used properly, inability to influence decision makers for whom they cannot vote, and questions about the likelihood of receiving good value for the funds collected within Gwinnett County.
I believe a referendum for a sales tax to expand MARTA into Gwinnett will fail now just as the regional sales tax referendum failed. With that in mind, Gwinnett is better served by focusing on other ways to address transportation needs.
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