Politics, not policy, will drive transportation money
Georgia has a long, unfortunate history of making transportation decisions based on the needs and whims of politicians rather than the data-driven advice of transportation professionals.
With his appointment of Toby Carr as the state’s transportation planning director, the most important transportation job in the state, Gov. Nathan Deal has made it pretty clear that tradition isn’t going to change anytime soon.
Carr may be a fine person. However, he has no training in transportation engineering or planning. His professional background and area of expertise is in politics instead.
According to a short bio provided by the governor’s office, Carr has served as executive director of the state Republican Party. He was also executive director of Deal’s transition team.
In 2008, he was campaign coordinator for the House Republican caucus, and he also worked as a political consultant. He has bachelor degrees in finance and agricultural engineering. His only apparent background in transportation has been his service since January 2011 as Deal’s transportation policy adviser.
According to Deal spokesman Brian Robinson, that makes Carr a good pick for the job.
“The position is the governor’s advocate within the [Department of Transportation], which is governed by a separate board,” Robinson said. “Toby is very well qualified for such a job. He knows what the governor’s priorities are and he can work toward them at the DOT.”
In effect, he’s saying that the governor views the job of transportation planning director as a political rather than a policy job. And under the job description provided by Robinson, Carr is indeed well-qualified to serve as “the governor’s advocate within the DOT.”
However, that’s not how state law describes the job. Under state law, the duties of that position are far more extensive and require far more knowledge and experience in transportation planning that Carr possesses.
Statutorily, the director of transportation planning is charged with “developing the state transportation improvement program and the state-wide strategic transportation plan and coordinating transportation policies, planning, and programs related to design, construction, maintenance, operations, and financing of transportation.”
I don’t think running the state Republican Party prepares you for all that.
In addition, the director is charged with developing a statewide transportation asset management program, an asset improvement program and a local maintenance and improvement grant program. Under the Transportation Investment Act of 2010, he or she also plays a critically important role in the drafting of regional project lists to be funded with the proposed 1-percent regional transportation sales tax.
Carr’s predecessor, Todd Long, left the job a month ago to become deputy transportation commissioner. From the outside, it’s now pretty apparent that he was pushed out to make room for Carr.
And unfortunately, the contrast between the two is significant: Long has a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in civil engineering from Georgia Tech, plus almost two decades of experience in transportation and transportation planning. His background and the credibility that it gave him were valuable as he worked with regional officials around the state to draw up project lists for the July T-Splost.
The decision to appoint Carr, on the other hand, doesn’t exactly boost voter confidence that politics won’t dictate how their transportation dollars will be spent. The revenue from that particular tax can be spent only on the projects already approved, but in general it’s not an encouraging sign.
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439 comments Add your comment
My Party has ALL the answers. Your party is full of poopyheads! (formerly That Black Guy)
April 27th, 2012
12:44 pm
JamVet – Stay ignorant, my friends…
April 27th, 2012
10:50 am
“no, I appreciate all veterans for their service.”
Sure. Your gratitude is both overwhelming and obvious.
You slander them with all sorts of vile names and malicious lies.
And you are not worthy of shining those combat veterans boots.
_________________________________________________________________________
“Cons” are vet as well.
Look at what you say about “cons” and repubs.
How much spit do YOU let fly?
JamVet - Stay ignorant, my friends...
April 27th, 2012
12:45 pm
Meat, are you really that childish?
You Republifascists are the ones who want to silence voices you don’t agree with.
I just expose the sheer mendacityy and immorality of yours but I have never tried to silence it…
Oblama
April 27th, 2012
12:46 pm
The Oblama in Chief once again tries to divert our attention with smoke and mirrors. This election is about the economy. jobs and how to reduce this disastrous Fed debt. It’s not about Nancy Pilosi’s recent botox treatments.
JamVet - Stay ignorant, my friends...
April 27th, 2012
12:47 pm
Black guy, you deflect away from these people here who lie about combat veterans.
It’s OK, it’s what you do…
My Party has ALL the answers. Your party is full of poopyheads! (formerly That Black Guy)
April 27th, 2012
12:47 pm
TaxPayer
April 27th, 2012
11:04 am
I see the compassionate conservatives are back to posting their hate rhetoric about fellow citizens exercizing their constitutional rights.
______________________________________________________________
Did you say the same thing about the comments directed at the Tea Party rallies?
ragnar danneskjold
April 27th, 2012
12:48 pm
Dear Both @ 12:34, good morning. Ayn Rand does not need my “defense” – unlike leftist thinkers, her writing stands on its own, does not require a cheerleader. She will continue to be read 50 years after people have forgotten the name “Noam Chomsky” (I suppose he is the last leftist theorist standing?)
When I had my then-middle-school sons read “Atlas,” I counseled them that the book was brilliant but not perfect in its thesis, and later explained its ethical limitations in language they could understand. Ryan – and almost any other thinking conservative – probably sees it that way too.
Oblama
April 27th, 2012
12:49 pm
Joe Biden – Always worth a few laughs…. and to think he gets his political advice from Bill Maher…. the dumb leading the dumb.
268 more days
April 27th, 2012
12:51 pm
JamVet – Stay ignorant, my friends…
April 27th, 2012
12:45 pm
Meat, are you really that childish?
Nice dodge, you are like a big mouth bass, all mouth and no action
My Party has ALL the answers. Your party is full of poopyheads! (formerly That Black Guy)
April 27th, 2012
12:54 pm
They BOTH suck
April 27th, 2012
11:35 am
JREB
How is it going? Hope you had a good week
Is a vet a “useful idiot” if he blindly follows right leaning ideology?
___________________________________________________________
You didn’t ask me, but Yes.
Paul
April 27th, 2012
12:54 pm
ragnar
“Not a bad idea that you posit – there is merit to having a director who would veto spending and/or policy expansion unless the “professionals” within the department could make a compelling argument to a neutral. Even better would be putting in a five-year term limit for any state employee, to eliminate life-tenure.”
But the political appointees are hardly neutral, are they?
As far as 5 year employment limits, good luck telling recruiters to go with that line.
A dad
April 27th, 2012
12:55 pm
How about those recent economic reports the economy isn’t doing as well as the POTUS has been trumpeting in his recent campaigning, oops, er, I mean, well, whatever all his trips in AirForceOnce at $186,000 an hour are these past few weeks.
Does anyone know if JamVet was a beneficiary of DADT?
My Party has ALL the answers. Your party is full of poopyheads! (formerly That Black Guy)
April 27th, 2012
12:58 pm
getalife
April 27th, 2012
11:56 am
Steve,
To proud Independents like me, Clinton’s third term.
__________________________________________________________________________
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
*BREATHE*
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Oblama
April 27th, 2012
12:59 pm
You have it all wrong my friend. Dems are “The Party of Hate”. Led by The Oblama in Chief you are trying to divert our attention from what this coming election is all about. Oblama is “The Great Divider”.. class warfare/ sex warfare/ age warfare/ victim warfare/ race warfare – Oblama fooled some ofthe people last time but not this time. THIS election is about the economy, jobs and decreasing the alarming Fed debt. Question of the day: Are Nancy Pelosi’s botox treatments covered under the Congress Cadillac Healthcare Coverage?
My Party has ALL the answers. Your party is full of poopyheads! (formerly That Black Guy)
April 27th, 2012
1:03 pm
Adam
April 27th, 2012
12:03 pm
TBG: Cap and Trade – not passed
Single payer – opted for the mandate
2 budgets – neither passed
closing getmo – couldn’t convince congress
Dream Act – not passed
Why “failure” as a label for these things?
_____________________________________________________________________
Against my better judgement…
If policies that he supported were passed and signed into law can be called “accomplishments, then policies that he supported but did not get passed thus could not sign into law can be called “failures”.
Wait for it…
Wait for it…
Oblama
April 27th, 2012
1:04 pm
Poll: Does Nancy Pelosi’s botox treatments improve her appearance or she still uhhhh unflattering?
They BOTH suck
April 27th, 2012
1:09 pm
TBG
Enjoy your ride tomorrow
Oblama
April 27th, 2012
1:09 pm
To Oblama idolizer: What to one is an accomplishment is to another a failure. Passing a whole bunch of new Fed, big government, tax wasting, budget busting give away programs we can’t pay for is not an accomplishment but a failure to have a clue of what is going on in the real world – out side of D.C. and Hollyweird.
My Party has ALL the answers. Your party is full of poopyheads! (formerly That Black Guy)
April 27th, 2012
1:10 pm
getalife
April 27th, 2012
12:29 pm
Are you cons bringing up hypocrisy?
I don’t think you hypocrites can use that argument.
You have no shame for your hypocrisy.
___________________________________________________
stop spitting on vets
Oblama
April 27th, 2012
1:11 pm
Four wasted years and no MORE years for Oblamain Chief!
Oblama
April 27th, 2012
1:13 pm
Joe Biden has a job waiting for him on The Comedy Channel if Oblama is not reelected and Oblama can go back class lawsuits where the big money is.
My Party has ALL the answers. Your party is full of poopyheads! (formerly That Black Guy)
April 27th, 2012
1:15 pm
JamVet – Stay ignorant, my friends…
April 27th, 2012
12:40 pm
Jam, are you saying that because a person is a vet no one should be critical of their actions, positions on topics, or misdeeds?
Of course not!
But calling them rapists? And arsonists? And Occutards? And misguided souls? And useful idiots? When they aren’t?
Are you good with that?
_____________________________________________________________
Nope.
Just like I’m not good with the names that the Tea Party, “cons” and such are called. There are vets, teachers, police, LEO’s, mothers, fathers, grands in those groups as well.
They get called all sorts of things.
You good with that?
Oblama
April 27th, 2012
1:28 pm
Just in : Oblama is asking for an increase to the slush fund that pays for Nancy Pelosi’s botox treatments which are becoming more and more frequent.
Oblama
April 27th, 2012
1:32 pm
Dukuakis redux…… Oblama, dressed in fatigues with an oversized helmet, taking credit for what the Navy Seals risked their lives for. Was Oblama in on the raid? Don’t think so.
I'm a "con" and a vet. STOP SPITTING ON ME!!! (That Black Guy)
April 27th, 2012
1:32 pm
Enter your comments here
Oblama
April 27th, 2012
1:36 pm
Oblama lemmings please report to the cliff overlooking the Fed debt. sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
Oblama
April 27th, 2012
1:39 pm
Is it illegal now to have an opinion different from the Dems? No but it’s guaranteed to bring the Secret Service to your door. Cat Scratch Fever!
Adam
April 27th, 2012
1:52 pm
TBG: Touche. It appears that “failure” is in fact an antonym for “accomplishment.”
As a point of note though, how can one reasonably call things that DID pass, but didn’t achieve greater than stellar results, as failures? For example, the stimulus.
Billingeorgia
April 27th, 2012
1:54 pm
Jay – one of the first pieces you have written that tells me, maybe, just maybe, you didn’t just fall off the turnip wagon. Well put, well said, and congrats on your laser like thinking in this case.
Buckhead
April 27th, 2012
2:11 pm
Maybe Toby was appointed to fill in until the Governor proposes a “roll back” of the Perdue DOT reforms/power grab. Just a thought.
Todd Long was not pushed out- Keith Golden the new commissioner needed a dynamo deputy and Todd fit the bill.
GDOT does a great job, despite being 48th per capita on transportation spending our roads are well maintained and the agency is well run with little fat. They are the only agency that services its own debt which accounted for many of the financial improprieties last decade.
I'm a "con" and a vet. STOP SPITTING ON ME!!! (That Black Guy)
April 27th, 2012
3:21 pm
Adam
April 27th, 2012
1:52 pm
TBG: Touche. It appears that “failure” is in fact an antonym for “accomplishment.”
As a point of note though, how can one reasonably call things that DID pass, but didn’t achieve greater than stellar results, as failures? For example, the stimulus.
______________________________________________________________________
When have I done that?
I’m sure you are not asking me to justify what SOMEONE else said, right?
williebkind
April 27th, 2012
3:36 pm
Jay argues that Carr does not have the qualifications suited for the state’s transportation planning director but Carr does have degrees and executive experience. Liberals cite that an economist with phd credentials and teaches at a college has better solutions than a person who has the work experience dealing with economic issues. Now all of a sudden Jay does not Carr because of the lack of experience and wrong type of education. Here we go again! Truth is measured by how it fits a particular agenda.
Dems_R_Idiots
April 27th, 2012
6:28 pm
…and Todd Long did such a wonderful job???
middleground
April 27th, 2012
8:24 pm
Mike Evans the ex-DOT chairmen did very well developing property on new DOT Projects.
All under different company names as he is a lawyer and knows how to work the system.
Do you think anything will change in this one party state mafia run government?
I remember
April 28th, 2012
11:41 am
Why does the city of Atlanta rely on MARTA to certify minority vendors? Do you think its becasue MARTA does a better job or is it to protect themselves when problems emerge like they did this week on minority firms at the Airport?
bluecoat
April 28th, 2012
8:55 pm
Being a corporate raider should prepare one for president.Especially if they want to raid Iraq,Afganistan,any weak country.Mission accomplished.
Willis
April 29th, 2012
7:22 am
Deal doesn’t care what people think about his appointments. He was ethically challenged himself and got elected anyway. He has that all-important (R) which follows his name – nothing else matters in this backward state.
Does anybody know who bought Deal’s house he had for sale? Maybe Carr?
JC
April 29th, 2012
11:13 am
GDOT does a great job, despite being 48th per capita on transportation spending our roads are well maintained and the agency is well run with little fat. They are the only agency that services its own debt which accounted for many of the financial improprieties last decade.
Amen. Well said.
Outer Perimeter
April 29th, 2012
5:46 pm
@bluecoat 8:55 pm
Dang, and I always thought it was being able to sing, dance, and shoot a basketball.
Adam
May 2nd, 2012
2:43 pm
TBG: You indicate calling 5 policies failures, some of which fit my description of passed but not stellar, and yet you claim that you did not.
Apr 27, @ 1:03p is when you did this, in case you’re wondering.
And go ahead and mince my words if you want. Or, you know, ignore it.