Untie Atlanta has launched a new television ad and two radio spots that voters will see and hear many times over the weeks before the July 31st Transportation Investment Act.

The referendum, which many refer to as a TSPLOST, is a penny tax to fund transportation improvements in 10 metro Atlanta counties including Gwinnett.

Here are descriptions of the TV ad and radio spots provided in a press release issued Friday, July 13, by Untie Atlanta:

• The television ad, titled “Tied Up,” captures a scenario that virtually every Atlanta driver has experienced. Late for an important appointment, a commuter gets stuck in a time-consuming traffic jam with no way out. The driver’s seat belts start to tighten around her, trapping her for another long, torturous trip home. The appointment turns out to be a ball game. Her uniformed son and teammate sit on the front porch waiting for their ride and lament that she is “probably tied up in traffic again.”

• Ambassador Andrew Young, who served as mayor of Atlanta in the 1980s, is featured in a radio ad called “Penny Wise.” In the ad, Ambassador Young says his mother taught him that is “better to be penny wise than pound foolish.” He reminds listeners that many of Atlanta’s great accomplishments have featured public investment, referring to building the busiest airport in the world and securing the 1996 Olympic Games. Young encourages voters to support the referendum and “keep our city moving forward.”

• In another radio spot, “Bad Advice,” a patient learns from his doctor that his major arteries are all clogged, which is causing him daily pain. Upon asking for advice, the patient is surprised to hear his doctor recommend to just sit back and “give it some time.” When the patient asks if waiting will make it harder to fix, the doctor responds: “Absolutely. And a lot more expensive.”

A video of each ad accompanies this article. Click to view then register your thoughts on the ads in the comment box below.

 “These ads get right to the heart of what is at stake in this referendum,” Untie Atlanta campaign manager Che Watkins said in the press release. “We have commuters tied up in traffic, and some folks want us to just sit back and do nothing, ensuring that the problem will just get worse and more expensive to fix.

"As Ambassador Young reminds us, Atlanta transformed from a sleepy southern town to an international commercial hub because of our legacy of taking bold action to solve our problems. This is another one of those moments.”