State Transportation Board member David Doss of Rome expressed frustration Friday after the board voted to rescind a controversial decision regarding its accounting methods.

“I’m tired of waiting for someone to do something,” he said.

Doss said funding shortfalls and bookkeeping battles during the past two years have cut the Georgia Department of

Transportation’s roadwork contracts from $2.7 billion to less than $450 million.

“It’s bankrupted numerous firms and put thousands of Georgians out of work,” he said. “To people trying to feed their families, this is a big deal.”

At issue is the department’s longtime practice of signing multi-year contracts based on future revenue — a practice the state auditor and attorney general said is not allowed under Georgia law.

The GDOT switched to a cash accounting system in March 2008, which slowed its contracts, but voted in January to revert to the accrual method when the new fiscal year starts July 1.

That decision sparked outrage from Gov. Sonny Perdue, who said it affected the state’s ability to refinance outstanding bonds. Senate Transportation Committee members also blasted the board Thursday.

In a specially called teleconference Friday, the board voted to stay with cash accounting. Doss and member Dana Lemon abstained. When asked why he abstained, Doss said he had not heard from the state legislators in his district and had other concerns about the effect on public-private partnership projects.

Doss said the accrual accounting backlash is especially frustrating in light of pending legislation that would legalize the practice.

“So now the ball’s 100 percent in the Legislature’s court,” he said.

Senate Bill 19 and its accompanying Senate Resolution 821 — which would set up a statewide vote to amend the constitution — are sponsored by Republican heavy-hitters, including Senate President Pro Tem Tommie Williams, Majority Leader Chip Rogers and Transportation Committee Chairman Jeff Mullis of Chickamauga.