With the last voting day almost here, Tuesday, July 31, the transportation referendum also known as TSPLOST still faces significant opposition from potential voters, WSB-TV reported.
According to a poll by WSB-TV and Rosetta Stone Communications, only 35 percent say they will vote yes for the TSPLOST, while 55 percent say they are voting no. The rest are still undecided.
The one-cent sales tax would raise several billion dollars over 10 years and pay for more than 150 designated transportation projects in Gwinnett County and the 10-county metro Atlanta region.
Supporters say the improvements are needed to relieve traffic congestion, and that the improvements also would lure employers from elsewhere to the Atlanta area. Opponents oppose raising the sales tax and claim TSPLOST primarily benefits Atlanta.
And then on to a real approach, maybe our government model for the state as it exists today is truly obsolete. Before we proceed with plan “B”, I wonder if we should first take a poll of voters, city governments, municipalities, county governments, chambers of commerce, CIDS any other entities that support the regional concept of TSPLOST if they would support dissolution and then recombination under this REGIONAL format? Just for fun, this would combine all government services into single departments within the region - individual police, fire, ems, sheriff, zoning, services would ALL be combined. The total number of elected Government officials would be reduced within the region. It’s not without precedent within our fair state as this very concept is on the ballot for Macon tomorrow. Maybe we need to save the funds that were spent by all entities in this round and use these “savings” to drive to real solutions, not development for the sake of development. All things really don't revolve around "Atlanta", that was in the past and now maybe it's time to look forward.