State Rep. Katie Dempsey (left), R-Rome, and Georgia Power’s Tequila Smith listen Wednesday to economic development issues associated with a TSPLOST vote set for July 31 during a meeting at the Greater Rome Chamber of Commerce. (Doug Walker, RN-T.com)
The desire of state leadership to encourage a sense of regionalism across the state was much of the focus of discussion among Greater Rome Chamber of Commerce Governmental Affairs committee members Wednesday.
State Rep. Katie Dempsey, R-Rome, recalled the initial meeting of representatives from across the 15-county region related to the development of a project list for the transportation tax.
“They didn’t want to be there,” Dempsey said. “It was wonderful to witness as they figured out how important it is to work together.”
Angie Lewis, chairwoman of the Greater Rome Chamber of Commerce, told the committee that leaders from the
Floyd, Bartow and Gordon county chambers will participate in a joint photo shoot next week to begin a last-minute effort to sway voters to support the transportation tax.
“We decided to save our limited advertising budget until the very end,” Lewis said.
Not everyone was sold on the regional teamwork concept.
“People in Polk County have absolutely no interest in what’s going on in Murray County,” said Rich Hammond, former Bekaert plant manager. “I don’t know if there is a quasi-sub-regional approach that can be tied to Rome.”
Hammond brought up the Ga. 400 tollbooth issue to illustrate how citizens have become disgruntled with government.
“Continuing the toll on 400 played right into their hands,” Hammond said. “The timing of that couldn’t have been worse.”
The tollbooths were supposed to have been taken down after bonds to pay for the road project northeast of Atlanta had been paid off, but the state just announced that those booths would remain in place even though the bonds have now been paid.
Dempsey pointed out that the TSPLOST is restricted to 10 years. It could only be extended with voter approval.
“There is a lot of information flowing around that is incorrect,” said Ansley Saville, who chairs the chamber committee.
She said a no vote would send a negative message to potential industries looking at sites across the entire 15-county Northwest Georgia region.
“The whole thing is economics,” said Rome City Commissioner Buzz Wachsteter. “It’s not about roads; it’s about jobs.”
Saville agreed, concluding, “I don’t think any one of us wants taxes, but the bottom line is jobs.”
The TSPLOST is expected to raise $1.4 billion during a 10-year period to finance road projects across the Northwest Georgia region.
Key Floyd County projects to be funded include the widening of Ga. 140 from Armuchee east to Interstate 75 in Bartow County and the widening of Ga. 101 from the Ledbetter Interchange south to Rockmart. Funds for the U.S. 411 connector to I-75 are also included on the list.
There is a difference.
It's maintained by David Doss's opponent.
It's conclusion reads in part: "One reason why subsidies are ineffective at improving transportation is that most of those subsidies are captured by non-users, including increased profits for construction firms and increased pay and benefits for transportation workers."
I also do not like the idea of paying higher sales tax so that other counties can mooch off of those that actually have businesses that can generate the revenue.
VOTE NO!!!
And you don't know where the $ will go. They're politicians coordinating this.
The 101 project is not, "essential." It would be more convenient to have 4 lanes.
The problem is, if they 4-lane it, then the cost to maintain DOUBLES. Would putting in a 4-lane DOUBLE the revenue into the area? No.
If this were a business decision, it would be NO.
It's time that government ran itself like businesses that (at least) stay afloat: WITH LIMITS.
NO, NO, NO, NO, NO, NO
This splost thing is getting out of hand.Empire
And now we are expected to support MORE taxes to 'fix' the problem in Atlanta AND CREATE the problem in outlying areas that got us into this whole mess to begin with. If that's not politics, I don't know what is.
And the TSPLOST proposals assume that all the projects are going to come in at or below expected budget cost.. RIGHT!! And when it does not bring in the revenue and projects cost more than expected, guess which projects will get the funding! Yup.. The big ATL. So we will be paying for Marta buses and sidewalks down on Moreland Ave.
Vote No. Enough is enough.
coosatown - Good to you for driving on a dirt road. I don't, nor do many others. Some of us like to keep our vehicles clean and free of dings. Dirt roads, mud puddles,and gravel don't really help with that. Also, many of us don't have vehicles that are built for dirt roads, nor are we expected to go out and buy such, so your point is fairly moot here.