2012 Tuesday: Millions of dollars might not buy a T-SPLOST
Each month, Barack Obama and Mitt Romney — and their respective parties and PACs — report their fund-raising totals. One result is a monthly debate about the propriety of big money in politics, and many participants in that debate begin with the apparent assumption that money is everything in an election.
On the local level, however, we are watching the final days of a campaign in which a gilt Goliath appears mortally wounded by a dollar-poor David. Yes, I’m talking about the T-SPLOST.
The pro-tax campaign yesterday finally released its financial statements (on the last day of its past-due grace period), and it shows pretty much what we all expected: a campaign that has had millions of dollars to persuade voters to tax themselves $7.2 billion during the next 10 years to fund transportation. Here’s how the AJC summarized the standing of the pro- and anti-tax groups:
Citizens for Transportation Mobility — the political action committee pushing the July 31 transportation referendum in metro Atlanta — took in $6.5 million from spring 2011 through July 16, according to a campaign finance report filed Monday. Records show the group dramatically outraised opponents of the tax increase: The Transportation Leadership Coalition, which is fighting the referendum, raised $14,418.
(Full disclosure: Cox Enterprises, parent company of the AJC, donated $250,000 to the pro-tax campaign.)
That’s a 450-to-1 financial advantage for the pro-tax side, which is why virtually all the advertising you see about next week’s referendum is in support of the tax. The tax has the backing of the governor, the mayor of Atlanta and most other local and state elected officials in the 10-county region. It has the research apparatus of governmental and quasi-governmental agencies behind it. It has the area’s major businesses making not-so-subtle suggestions to their employees that they should vote for it.
And yet, according to every recent opinion poll, it’s trailing. In all but the one done for the pro-tax campaign itself, it’s trailing badly. In all that have measured support for the tax over time, that support has fallen by double-digits.
What gives?
For starters, this campaign shows once again the effectiveness of real grassroots organizations, and their ability to tap into large networks of passionate supporters at little or no cost. When the Tea Party Patriots, NAACP and Sierra Club all decide to oppose something, their members tend to be much more firmly committed to that stance than are people swayed by advertising or political endorsements.
We must also acknowledge that any effort to increase taxes amid a still-stagnant economy is something of an uphill climb, even when the purported payoff — easier commutes — affects many people’s everyday lives. That said, the most believable poll two months ago was not one that showed the tax ahead or behind by double-digits, but the one that showed it at 42 percent for and 45 percent against, with the rest of the people undecided. Given the nature of Atlanta’s transportation needs, the referendum was bound to be close despite the economy and the low level of trust in government when it comes to transportation. (And, for the record, I still think it will be fairly very close in the end: single-digits either way.)
But the most important factor — and really the only way this campaign’s financing and evolution are similar to the presidential race — is the ability of those proposing a change to make their case clearly and effectively. Barack Obama’s approval ratings may still be mediocre, but all the money in the world won’t help Mitt Romney if he can’t convince the American people he is suitable alternative. Likewise, traffic in Atlanta may be exasperating for a lot of people, but all the money in the world won’t help the folks at Untie Atlanta if they don’t have a credible pitch about how the tax revenues will help reduce traffic congestion.
And that’s where I think the referendum is in danger of failing.
The message from the pro-tax side has gone something like this:
1. Traffic is bad.
2. Look, there are a lot of projects!
3. In the end, we have to do something.
While hardly anyone disputes Nos. 1 and 3, a great deal of people doubt No. 2 is an adequate bridge between them. To be honest, the pro-tax side has hardly tried to convince the doubters otherwise. It’s simply harped even more on Nos. 1 and 3.
That means there’s no clear, coherent message about how the T-SPLOST projects will help the region today, from the urban core to the suburbs. There is no consistent narrative about how the projects work together in a specific corridor or chokepoint. To the degree the message is something other than “trust us; it’ll work,” the message is the map with 157 projects scattered across it. And that map has become a regional Rorschach test that leaves it to individuals to see future relief or wasted money.
In large part, that’s the fault of the people who put the list together, not the ones now tasked with selling it to the public. But however the blame is eventually assigned if the referendum does indeed fail, that’s the central failure of the T-SPLOST — and the crucial task for whoever has to pick up the pieces if Plan B becomes necessary.
– By Kyle Wingfield
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403 comments Add your comment
Logic was never intended for libs
July 24th, 2012
2:48 pm
“start with AMPAD, GST Steel, Sensata for Bain’s business prectives…..and more from the Washington Post”
Oh, you mean the far left newspaper? Try again, sport.
“NASA funding was cut under Bush”
AND WAS SHUT DOWN UNDER OBAMA.
Keep trying, HDB.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
July 24th, 2012
2:49 pm
“Don’t you think he doesn’t have ANY input, Tib…”
No.
Once again, HDB, all his money is held in a BLIND TRUST. You DO know what that is, don’t you?
Logic was never intended for libs
July 24th, 2012
2:49 pm
“Bain still front page news on every serious news outlet. ”
No it isn’t. In fact, I have todays NYTimes, WaPost and Wall Street Journal. Bain is not on any of the front pages.
Stop lying.
Logic was never intended for libs
July 24th, 2012
2:51 pm
“What is Romney hiding in those tax returns?”
If Romney were hiding anything, the IRS would have gone after him years ago.
Keep trying though, it’s funny to see you squirm as you try to find something about Romney.
Hey, I have an idea. Perhaps you can go to his mansion and dig through his trash can like your ilk did with Palin.
the cat
July 24th, 2012
2:51 pm
Kyle-seriously moderating a link?
Logic was never intended for libs
July 24th, 2012
2:52 pm
The gun club knew that Holmes was a kook but the federal guvment did not. Looks like HDB’s precious guvment can’t see that this guy was a nut.
James Holmes Received $26K Grant From Bethesda-Based National Institutes of Health
http://washington.cbslocal.com/2012/07/24/james-holmes-received-26k-grant-from-bethesda-based-national-institutes-of-health/
Logic was never intended for libs
July 24th, 2012
2:52 pm
“Kyle-seriously moderating a link?”
Kyle went to a funeral, cat. Maybe your link was a bad one.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
July 24th, 2012
2:53 pm
“start with AMPAD, GST Steel, Sensata ”
As has been stated before, AMPAD was outsourced long after Romney left Bain, and the unions wouldn’t budge an inch on restructuring.
Same with GST Steel, which also would have closed 7 years earlier according to their own VP had Bain not invested in them.
Don’t know about Sensata, but if your track record remains the same, you’re probably wrong about that as well, HDB.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
July 24th, 2012
2:54 pm
“As usual Tibs is getting his info from pullitoutofmybackside.com”
Feel free to refute any of my claims with actual facts, the cat. Thus far, you’re responses have been bereft of any.
HDB
July 24th, 2012
2:56 pm
Tiberius….The total job loss in all 50 states under Obama is about 552,000 through May 2012, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The president has created more than 4 million private-sector jobs in the past 27 months.
Now…when you look at the PUBLIC SECTOR JOBS that have been lost due to lack of government spending…primarily by REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS, then the MORE accurate picture of the unemployment problem develops!!
Logic was never intended for libs
July 24th, 2012
2:56 pm
Tiberius
These folks are hilarious. First, they claim that what we post are lies and THEN they go and post far-left garbage from Maddow and WaPost.
I asked a simple question about gun laws earlier this morning and not one person could answer the question without lying and hurling insults.
Logic was never intended for libs
July 24th, 2012
2:57 pm
“The total job loss in all 50 states under Obama is about 552,000 through May 2012″
Flat. Out. Lie.
Logic was never intended for libs
July 24th, 2012
2:58 pm
“primarily by REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS”
Ah yes, HDB shows his bias once again. It’s all the Repubs fault. It’s all Bush’s fault. Obama is a saint and an angel.
HDB
July 24th, 2012
2:59 pm
“Once again, HDB, all his money is held in a BLIND TRUST. You DO know what that is…”
Romney said HIMSELF that a blind trust is a RUSE!!
“The blind trust is an age-old ruse, if you will,” Romney said. “Which is to say you can always tell a blind trust what it can and cannot do. You give a blind trust rules.”
Read more on Newsmax.com: Romney in 1994: Blind Trusts a ‘Ruse’
the cat
July 24th, 2012
2:59 pm
Logic was never intended for libs
July 24th, 2012
2:58 pm
“primarily by REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS”
Ah yes, HDB shows his bias once again. It’s all the Repubs fault. It’s all Bush’s fault. Obama is a saint and an angel.
Glad you finally acknowledged this.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
July 24th, 2012
3:02 pm
“Now…when you look at the PUBLIC SECTOR JOBS that have been lost due to lack of government spending…primarily by REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS,”
HDB, thank you for acknowledging that Republican governors do what they say they are going to do: balance budgets, cut taxes and reduce the size of government.
Rafe Hollister, suffering through Oblamer's ineptocracy
July 24th, 2012
3:02 pm
HDB
NASA funding was cut under Bush.
Au Contraire HDB
2001 NASA Budget 15,427,000,000
2008 NASA Budget 17,186,000,000
2012 NASA Budget 16, 014,000,000
Budget figures expressed in 2007 constant dollars, which means, they take in the devaluation of the dollar than has occurred due to Obama’s stewardship and QE I and II initiative.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budget_of_NASA
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
July 24th, 2012
3:05 pm
And here’s the REST of the quote, HDB. You know, the one you conveniently left off?
“You can say to a blind trust, don’t invest in properties which would be in conflict of interest or where the seller might think they’re going to get an advantage from me.”
Another epic fail, HDB. You’re usually better than this (but not much).
the cat
July 24th, 2012
3:08 pm
For logic-this is so nice and sure to bring female voters to the repubs, NOT.
http://www.chron.com/news/article/Appeals-court-upholds-South-Dakota-abortion-law-3731346.php
HDB
July 24th, 2012
3:12 pm
Logic…it’s not just me saying it…..
40.5% of public sector job losses occurred in 11 states….ALL had Republican Governors!! Add Texas…it’s an additional 31%……
http://www.rooseveltinstitute.org/sites/all/files/GOPProjectSlashingPublicWorkforce.pdf
What a shame
July 24th, 2012
3:16 pm
HDB
Are you the son of Tiberius?
HDB
July 24th, 2012
3:17 pm
Tiberius – pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
July 24th, 2012
3:02 pm
….and ADD to ECONOMIC slumps and DOWNTURNS!! Unemployment would be down under 8% if Republicans had followed their OWN idiom….government spending and hiring in economic downturns, spending CUTS in economic upturns!! Even REAGAN did it!!
“You can say to a blind trust, don’t invest in properties which would be in conflict of interest or where the seller might think they’re going to get an advantage from me.”
..so that’s not being in control of a “blind trust”? It’s not THAT blind, is it??
HDB
July 24th, 2012
3:17 pm
What a shame
July 24th, 2012
3:16 pm
PLEASE!! Don’t put me in that category….
What a shame
July 24th, 2012
3:18 pm
HDB
I was wondering since he referred to you as “son” in an earlier post.
@@
July 24th, 2012
3:19 pm
Off-topic AGAIN!
People aren’t going to buy cars every two or three years anymore, an automotive website says based on an unscientific poll it conducted online.
Now, 78% of the more than 4,000 people polled by AutoMD.com says they will keep their cars at least 10 years.
“What is most compelling is that longer ownership has become an embedded habit for car owners, regardless of what the economy does,” said Brian Hafer, a vice president at AutoMD.com. “This significant lengthening of the ownership cycle looks like it is here to stay.”
Well, cars are better than yesterday. They don’t rust out anymore, and with proper care and more global warming we have no doubt they can survive at least a decade.
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2012/07/most-people-waiting-up-to-10-years-to-buy-a-new-car/1
Cars are bad for global warming, but global warming is good for cars.
Too funny!
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
July 24th, 2012
3:21 pm
“so that’s not being in control of a “blind trust”?”
No, those are general instruction. NOT control.
Common Cents
July 24th, 2012
3:21 pm
As Logic was beating HDB over the head with the facts, I was just waiting for someone to play the race or religion cards in this debate, because everyone knows that if you don’t aree with Obama you are a racist. LOL!
So glad that it didn’t stoop to that level. I may have to hang around here for a while.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
July 24th, 2012
3:21 pm
“Unemployment would be down under 8% if Republicans had followed their OWN idiom….government spending and hiring in economic downturns, spending CUTS in economic upturns!!”
What Republican party idiom are you referring to in this post, HDB?
the cat
July 24th, 2012
3:22 pm
Tibs-you do know a blind trust means NO instruction right?
Common Cents
July 24th, 2012
3:25 pm
@@- I don’t think that I’ve ever owned a car for 10 years. The longest was about 6 and it was because it was parked most of that time.
HDB
July 24th, 2012
3:26 pm
Tiberius – pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
July 24th, 2012
3:21 pm
Tib..if I give ANY instructions, I’m exerting MY personal control over a situation; therefore, if I instruct someone as to how my investments are to be done, that’s CONTROL…albeit LIMITED…but that’s still control!! “Blind” means that I have NO CONTROL nor have made ANY INSTRUCTIONS as to what’s to be done!!
Common Cents
July 24th, 2012
3:21 pm
Facts go BOTH WAYS, you know…..and in a debate, you bring forth those that support your ideology!! This is a simple debate (IMHO)…..
HDB
July 24th, 2012
3:29 pm
Tib…under the ‘Sainted” Ronald Reagan, public sector employment ROSE to stave off the recession…and government spending QUADRUPLED! THAT Republican idiom!! Economists have stated that in economic downturns, government SPENDING staves off recessions….and you CUT spending in economic upturns!! With the cuts in government spending, unemployment is RISING!!
Common Cents
July 24th, 2012
3:31 pm
HDB
July 24,2012
3:26 pm
Nope, facts don’t go both ways. A fact is a fact. Your opinion or interpretation of the facts may go both ways, but the fact still remains a fact.
I’ve seen you give a lot of opinions and spin but very little “fact”. Maybe that’s the issue; you don’t understand that facts are unchanging. Hmmm…
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
July 24th, 2012
3:33 pm
“Tibs-you do know a blind trust means NO instruction right?”
Technically incorrect (again), the cat.
You are allowed to give your blind trust broad guidelines, as Romney has done.
A double fail by both you and HDB.
Road Scholar
July 24th, 2012
3:33 pm
@@: Off topic again? This blog has been off topic for 2-3 hours! Where is the blog police? Are donuts involve?
For those who have said that the $7 M +/- spent to advertise the Tsplost should have been spent on a project…OK…what 1 mile section of a two lane road in Atlanta do you want to widen? Because with costs what they are…$7M will only do about a mile if right of way is needed to construct it!
HDB
July 24th, 2012
3:35 pm
Common Cents
July 24th, 2012
3:31 pm
Facts CAN change….when one is DISPROVEN!! Like Romney is a conservative…..that fact can change when reviewing Romney’s history!
Logic was never intended for libs
July 24th, 2012
3:36 pm
“As Logic was beating HDB over the head with the facts, I was just waiting for someone to play the race or religion cards in this debate, because everyone knows that if you don’t aree with Obama you are a racist.”
I was called a bigot yesterday for calling out Obama for saying if he had a son he’d look like Trayvon.
Logic was never intended for libs
July 24th, 2012
3:37 pm
“t’s not just me saying it…”
Like I stated before, you and other libs are the only ones saying that.
HDB
July 24th, 2012
3:38 pm
Tib…you’re wrong:
blind trust
1.trust managed by third party: a legal arrangement in which a trustee manages funds for the benefit of somebody who has no knowledge of the specific management actions taken by the trustee
Investopedia explains ‘Blind Trust’
Blind trusts are generally used when a trustor wishes to keep the beneficiary unaware of the specific assets in the trust, such as to avoid conflict of interest between the beneficiary and the investments.
Read more: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/blindtrust.asp#ixzz21ZRGA5Qv
If ANY instructions are given, it’s not BLIND!!
Logic was never intended for libs
July 24th, 2012
3:40 pm
“-this is so nice and sure to bring female voters to the repubs, NOT.”
I’m not sure what abortion has to do with the current economic climate but please, continue to divert attention away from todays topic.
Road Scholar
July 24th, 2012
3:40 pm
Since we are off topic, where was the security when the exit door to the theater was opened the first time. Heck you have more security if you try to sneak popcorn INTO the theater! When the door was opened, an alarm should have gone off. So, does Colorado allow people to open a theater exit door to let others in w/o a ticket????? For a premier?
Logic was never intended for libs
July 24th, 2012
3:42 pm
“Like Romney is a conservative”
Romney is not a conservative. What is it with left wingers and automatically assuming that if you have an R by your name, it means you’re a conservative?
Road Scholar
July 24th, 2012
3:42 pm
HDB: Romney was quoted as saying he left general guidelines for those operating the trust.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
July 24th, 2012
3:42 pm
“under the ‘Sainted” Ronald Reagan, public sector employment ROSE to stave off the recession…and government spending QUADRUPLED! THAT Republican idiom!!”
You mean the one where Reagan had to work with Tip O’Neill to get the money he needed to kill of the USSR (and thus save us from nuclear war, btw) and giving Tip his social spending money? That Ronald Reagan, HDB?
“Economists have stated that in economic downturns, government SPENDING staves off recessions….and you CUT spending in economic upturns!!”
Yeah, Keynesian economists, HDB. And we know how well THAT turned out, didn’t we?
Are you going to get ANYTHING right today?
Logic was never intended for libs
July 24th, 2012
3:43 pm
Road Scholar
I’ve read reports where people said that someone opened the door for the gunmen.
Logic was never intended for libs
July 24th, 2012
3:44 pm
“Yeah, Keynesian economists”
Keynesian economics are a thing of the past. Just ask Austan Goolsbee about his failed advice to Obama.
Logic was never intended for libs
July 24th, 2012
3:45 pm
“Glad you finally acknowledged this.”
And we have another lib that can’t understand sarcasm.
@@
July 24th, 2012
3:46 pm
Scholar:
I just put that out there in case someone wants to stay ON TOPIC. I use it as a warning label.
I just voted “NO” on T-Splost, therefore, my commitment to the topic is no more.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
July 24th, 2012
3:47 pm
“a legal arrangement in which a trustee manages funds for the benefit of somebody who has no knowledge of the specific management actions taken by the trustee”
Key word, HDB = SPECIFIC.
Hence, you may give broad instructions such as, “Don’t invest in green energy projects” and the like.
Class dismissed.
HDB
July 24th, 2012
3:51 pm
Road Scholar
July 24th, 2012
3:42 pm
Therefore…it’s NOT a blind trust!!
BTW, Tiberius ..even Romney’s OWN economic advisors say his “plan” won’t work!!
http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2012/07/romney-economic-adviser-admits-romneys-economic-plan-wont-work/260128/