Yes, Georgia, there is a Plan B for transportation
I told you there would be a Plan B.
During the run-up to this summer’s T-SPLOST debacle — er, referendum — supporters of the $7.2 billion transportation tax implored voters to approve the measure, lest we remain mired in ever-worsening gridlock without end. In their telling, there was no Plan B.
They were technically correct: There was no alternative then sitting on the shelf. But such a pressing problem was never going to be ignored if Plan A failed.
Sure enough, a Plan B — or, more accurately, the first candidate for Plan B — was unveiled recently. It has much to recommend it.
The plan comes from the free-market thinkers at the Georgia Public Policy Foundation, and it includes $3.5 billion in new projects across the state. Here are some highlights:
- The list includes completing the Fall Line Freeway from Columbus to Macon to Augusta, and enhancing U.S. 27 in the western part of the state, to create a new freight network. This, according to a previous study by McKinsey and Co., would allow between 30 percent and 60 percent of large trucks now on metro Atlanta roads — the equivalent of some 100,000 cars a day — to bypass the region entirely.
- It includes almost $2.2 billion of projects from T-SPLOST lists around the state, selected purely on a cost-benefit basis. In metro Atlanta, that means hundreds of millions of dollars for about a dozen projects, such as building a new interchange at I-285 and Ga. 400 and upgrading Tara Boulevard in Clayton County into a super-arterial road.
- It even includes $65 million a year to enhance mass transit around the state. In metro Atlanta, that means creating a true, region-wide network of rapid commuter-bus service and adding $10 million a year in state funds to maintain MARTA’s existing rail system.
Of particular note, the folks at GPPF think we can build these projects without creating a new tax or raising the taxes we already have.
Trust was a major issue in the T-SPLOST’s defeat, at least in metro Atlanta, and elected officials could begin to rebuild it by enhancing transportation with existing funding. The plan calls for tolls, but only on roads where there is new capacity (unlike the converted HOT lanes on I-85 in Gwinnett County).
It calls for converting the current gas tax, which includes a fixed-price excise tax and a sales tax whose proceeds rise and fall with fuel prices, into a pure excise tax that provides more predictability. At the same time, it would devote all gas-tax revenues to transportation; today, upward of $150 million a year goes to the state’s general fund instead.
Critically, the plan calls for re-prioritizing the money we spend on infrastructure. Local education sales taxes, known as E-SPLOSTs, have funded hundreds of new schools and renovations. In 2009, the latest year for which data are available, Georgia ranked eighth nationally in k-12 infrastructure spending and 22nd for all infrastructure. But we were just 41st in transportation infrastructure.
GPPF argues for allowing local jurisdictions to split those 1 percent taxes into fractional ones for education and transportation. It conservatively estimates this change could raise $190 million a year for new transportation projects.
In short, the plan calls for elected officials to make different choices when it comes to infrastructure and existing revenues. Sounds like a good start.
(Note: This column originally ran in the print edition of the AJC on Sunday, Sept. 30. I did not post it online at the time because I was out of the country and commenting was in moderation; I thought it would be better to wait until I returned and a discussion could take place on the comment thread.)
– By Kyle Wingfield
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94 comments Add your comment
@@
October 10th, 2012
7:58 pm
“A Modest Proposal” by Walter E. Williams
Given the widespread contempt for personal liberty and constitutional values, there might be a way for California politicians to solve their fiscal mess. They can simply stop wealthy people from leaving the state or, alternatively, like some Third World nations, set limits on the amount of assets a resident can take out of the state. This would surely be within their jurisdiction and would not raise any constitutional issues, because it would serve a compelling state purpose. In other words, if California were to set up border controls to stop people, as East Germans did at Checkpoint Charlie, before they cross the state line, such action would be protected by the 10th Amendment.
The fact that many Californians have managed to get their assets out of the state complicates the issue. Article 1, Section 8 of the United States Constitution authorizes Congress “To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes.” This is known as the commerce clause. There’s no question that people who pull up stakes and leave California affect interstate commerce; California has less tax revenue, and recipient states have more. What California Attorney General Kamala D. Harris might do is sue Nevada, Arizona, Texas and Oregon in the federal courts for enticing, through lower taxes and less onerous regulations, wealthy California taxpayers.
LUV IT!
Not the proposal, the snarkiness with which he offered it up.
By California’s standards, it probably is “moderate”.
@@
October 10th, 2012
7:59 pm
Oops!
By California’s standards, it probably is “modest”.
md
October 10th, 2012
8:02 pm
Just wait until CA gets too big to fail and all the balanced budget states are told to bail them out…..
Hillbilly D
October 10th, 2012
8:04 pm
Kyle….that school building binge coincided with all those years if migration into the city. I do think that has slowed or stopped, and your point would be valid.
In my neck of the woods, they’re still building despite declining enrollments. It’s like a freight train; takes a long to time to stop or slow down once the gravy train gets rolling.
@@
October 10th, 2012
8:12 pm
Hillbilly:
they’re still building despite declining enrollments.
Same here.
Enrollment is up, enrollment is down depending on how our school board behaves. Right now we’re being warned we may, once again, lose accreditation.
Linda
October 10th, 2012
8:16 pm
Communist California! Why can’t liberals see the difference between Republican & Democratic states in 2012?
Lil' Barry Bailout - Vote American
October 10th, 2012
8:26 pm
Too bad there wasn’t Plan B for Stanley Ann Dunham.
JDW
October 10th, 2012
8:28 pm
“Communist California”
That may be the dumbest thing you ever posted…and boy does that cover some ground
@@
October 10th, 2012
8:37 pm
I’ve chosen to stay away from this topic but GEEZ!
State Dept. acknowledges rejecting requests for more security in Benghazi
President Obama sought to explain the evolving explanations in an interview Wednesday on ABC News. “This has all been well-documented and recorded: As information came in, information was put out,” he said of the shifting narrative. “The information may not have always been right the first time. And as soon as it turns out that we have a fuller picture of what happened, then that was disclosed. But the bottom line is that my job is to let everybody know I want to know what happened, I want us to get the folks who did it, and I want us to figure out what are the lessons learned and ask the tough questions to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
I know this would be difficult for someone like Obama….but when you don’t have all the details, it’s best to keep your mouth shut.
How ’bout…”The investigation is ongoing and we have no information at this time.”
It’s a helluva lot better than getting caught in a lie.
He knew…and if he didn’t, he should’ve made it his #1 goal to know.
Blabberin’ boob!
Lil' Barry Bailout - Vote American
October 10th, 2012
8:43 pm
Obozo made statements after he knew they were false. He lied. Hell, he made statements after EVERYONE knew they were false.
Linda
October 10th, 2012
8:50 pm
I think I hit someone’s nerve @ 8:28.
Rep. Alan West referred to these progressives in congress as Communists. Whatever you call them, Communists, Marxists, nationalists, statists, socialists, etc., it doesn’t matter. They are all for the same thing, taking from the rich & giving to the poor, spreading the wealth around.
I didn’t know who progressives were 3 years ago, but now I do. Obama is a progressive. They are systematically trying to bring down the US. They are successful.
@@
October 10th, 2012
8:53 pm
I know, LBB.
Hoping beyond hope that no one would notice.
Unbelievable!!!!!!
JamVet
October 10th, 2012
8:54 pm
Would someone tell the depraved Alan Waste R – FL, that McCarthyism died a horrific and shameful death sixty years ago.
Thank you.
@@
October 10th, 2012
9:09 pm
AmVet:
Tell him yourself.
Rafe Hollister, suffering through Oblamer's ineptocracy
October 10th, 2012
9:11 pm
Linda,
Obamanist California, works better. JDW will wrap the definition of Communism around your head otherwise.
md
October 10th, 2012
9:17 pm
“The information may not have always been right the first time.”
Hmmm….shoot first aim later?
Hypocrisy at it’s finest……..
BW
October 10th, 2012
9:18 pm
Kyle….one must wonder why this wasn’t Plan A or presented and discussed as an alternative to T-Splost. The fact that this wasn’t Plan A, given the political debacle over the crafting of T-Splost, is ridiculous and leaves me cynical about it being passed. There appears to be have been no reason to go through the issues with T-Splost since there was this plan. Am I missing something here or is leadership just crappy?
Linda
October 10th, 2012
9:20 pm
After a yr. into the Obama Adm., my husband & I said that if we wanted to bring down the USA, we would do exactly what Obama was doing. We thought Obama was just inexperienced, etc.
After 2 yrs. into the Obama Adm, my husband & I said that if we wanted to bring down the USA, we would do exactly what Obama was doing. By then, we knew what progressives were & what their goals were all about.
Old-timey Dems who have no idea what progressives are all about are just plain stupid. We were stupid until we learned their agenda.
iggy
October 10th, 2012
9:21 pm
“They are all for the same thing, taking from the rich & giving to the poor, spreading the wealth around.”
They fancy themselves a modern day Jesus Christ, if you will, a modern day Robin Hood. Robin from the Workers and givin to the Hood.
JamVet
October 10th, 2012
9:22 pm
Sorry, a tat, I forgot that you have a thing for him.
I emailed the stuck in the 1950s stupid clown this past summer about his moronic claim.
Here ya go, now it’s your turn…
https://forms.house.gov/west/webforms/contact-form.shtml
Schnort.
Linda
October 10th, 2012
9:28 pm
Rafe@9:11, Don’t care. Husband will remove said definition from my head & stick it to him & wrap it around his body umteen times. Not my fault he can’t see the future displayed in CA as well as that of Europe being broadcast around the world: the future of America.
Ray
October 10th, 2012
9:31 pm
I sorry, Kyle, but you also said the election would be very close, one way or the other (:-) So with great warmth, and laughter, I haven’t gotten past your first line, yet.
Welcome back. Hope your trip was everything you imagined it would be (and more).
JamVet
October 10th, 2012
9:47 pm
POWDER SPRINGS, Ga. —
A church outside Atlanta has won a battle to stop a Walmart Supercenter from selling alcohol.
The Marietta Daily Journal reports (http://bit.ly/RcaFo9) that Cobb County commissioners on Tuesday denied a request from the Powder Springs store to have a wine and beer package license.
The vote was 4-1, with county chairman Tim Lee alone in support of the sales.
The store wanted the commission to waive its restriction of selling alcohol within 600 feet of a church.
The Rev. Bobby Wood of Pine Grove Baptist Church had said congregation members are asking commissioners not to approve the waiver for the store on Barrett Parkway.
Powder Springs is about 20 miles northwest of Atlanta.
Hysterical…
@@
October 10th, 2012
10:00 pm
AmVet:
Sorry, a tat, I forgot that you have a thing for him.
You’d be hard pressed to find any comment I’ve ever made regarding Allen West. It’s not that I have a problem with him. He seems to be an articulate fella. It’s just that I don’t live in Florida.
To hear you tell it, everybody has a thing for you.
A legend in your own mind and nobody else’s.
@@
October 10th, 2012
10:04 pm
And AmVet?
As long as Bernie Sanders (Socialist) is serving in the U.S. Congress, there’s a possibility the disease has spread. As far as I know there’s no socialist serving on the GOP’s side.
There’s a far greater possibility that Democrats lean Socialist than do Republicans.
Facts are facts.
Linda
October 10th, 2012
10:08 pm
Liberals must come to terms with Obama’s agenda. Either he is deliberately destroying the American economy or he’s just incompetent.
JDW
October 10th, 2012
10:12 pm
“Rep. Alan West referred to these progressives in congress as Communists”
And you should acknowledge stupidity by repeating it…jezzsh
JDW
October 10th, 2012
10:15 pm
“There’s a far greater possibility that Democrats lean Socialist than do Republicans.”
And a far greater possiblity that Republicans lean Fascist than do Democrats so whats your point
iggy
October 10th, 2012
10:18 pm
Some more yummy goodness…
Poll Date Sample MoE Romney (R) Obama (D) Spread
RCP Average 10/1 – 10/9 — – 47.6 46.1 Romney +1.5
FOX News 10/7 – 10/9 1109 LV 3.0 46 45 Romney +1
Rasmussen Tracking 10/7 – 10/9 1500 LV 3.0 48 47 Romney +1
IBD/TIPP Tracking 10/4 – 10/9 757 LV 3.5 49 44 Romney +5
Gallup Tracking 10/3 – 10/9 2721 LV 2.0 48 48 Tie
Pew Research 10/4 – 10/7 1112 LV 3.4 49 45 Romney +4
WashTimes/JZ Analytics* 10/5 – 10/7 800 LV 3.5 45 45 Tie
Politico/GWU/Battleground 10/1 – 10/4 1000 LV 3.1 48 49 Obama +1
All General Election: Romney vs. Obama Polling Data
md
October 10th, 2012
10:25 pm
“And a far greater possiblity that Republicans lean Fascist than do Democrats so whats your point”
Fascism lies at the extremes of both sides……..
iggy
October 10th, 2012
10:25 pm
Look at all those toss ups….my oh my…
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/archive/2012_electoral_college_scoreboard
Linda
October 10th, 2012
10:34 pm
Evidently, there’s a bunch of ole timey Dems. who have no clue who progressives are & what their agenda is. Bless their hearts & bless the USA,
Hillbilly D
October 10th, 2012
10:34 pm
Another victory for the disposable society…….
http://news.yahoo.com/end-line-returnable-coca-cola-bottle-203553601–finance.html
Hillbilly D
October 10th, 2012
10:39 pm
Regardless of the controversy over the phone itself, the allegations that Slim is benefiting off a program aimed at helping the poor may only fuel characterizations of the $69 billion man as a super-rich mogul who capitalizes on the woes of others. Slim’s son noted in an interview with Bloomberg in May that his father was taking advantage of the “opportunities” provided by the European Debt Crisis.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/10/carlos-slim-obamaphones_n_1955929.html?1349904042&icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl1%7Csec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D218330
The angel Moroni
October 10th, 2012
10:56 pm
Linda, what economic problems are you having? We were losing 800,000 jobs a month under bush2 and romney is just a carbon copy – his advisors are bush2’s advisors. The stock markets were in free fall. People’s life savings and their pension funds were crashing faster than the Hindenberg. Under Obama, we’ve added jobs, the Dow is up over 60% and housing is finally coming back. I give the GOP credit – when they wreck something, they really, really wreck it. I also give the American people credit – they don’t want turn the country back over to the robber barons who nearly sent us over the brink. Now, if you’re having personal economic problems, I’m sorry for you. As for me, I’ve done quite well with Obama as president – and I’m MUCH better off than I was when Obama was sworn in.
jconservative
October 10th, 2012
11:04 pm
Change of subject:
“Associated Press – October 10, 2012
BRUSSELS — The United States has sent troops to Jordan to bolster its military capabilities in the event Syria’s civil war escalates, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Wednesday, reflecting U.S. concerns about the conflict spilling over allies’ borders and about the security of Syria’s chemical weapons arsenal.
Speaking at a NATO conference of defense ministers, Panetta said the U.S. has been working with Jordan to monitor chemical and biological weapons sites in Syria and also to help Jordan deal with refugees pouring over the border from Syria.”
Reuters is reporting “the team had been in Jordan for several months and was there when Panetta visited King Abdullah in early August. The number of troops in the team has since grown, but there are no specific plans to expand it further, the official said. “We have been working with Jordan for a period of time now … on a number of the issues that have developed as a result of what’s happened in Syria,” Panetta told a news conference in Brussels.”
Linda
October 10th, 2012
11:20 pm
Angel@10:56, The unemployment rate when Obama took office was 7.8%. It went over 10% in 10/09. It stayed at over 9% for the rest of ‘09, all of ‘10, all of ‘11 until 10/11. It’s come down to 7.8%, which means that, during the Obama adm., not ONE NET JOB has been created. Zilch! Nada!
Actually, the unemployment rate has been manipulated. The actual rate is close to 15%.
The GOP had very little to do with the Recession.
How’s your gas prices & your prices at the grocery store?
The angel Moroni
October 10th, 2012
11:42 pm
Yeah, Linda. Just like I said. Unemployment was in a freefall when Obama took over and his administration has turned things around. My gas prices and groceries are just fine. How can you say the GOP had little to do with the recession? Have you ever heard of a little thing called deregulation? It’s a major platform of the GOP – look it up. It helped almost sink Ireland, Iceland, Portugal, Spain and Greece (try to pin those countries problems on Dodd and Frank). The unregulated greed, so admired by the GOP and their puppet masters, is directly responsible for the world economic condition. Also, you GOPers make much out of touting deficit numbers. Who cut taxes while starting wars in two countries? Give up? It was the GOP. So, don’t tell me what the GOP isn’t responsible for. I have a memory.
The angel Moroni
October 11th, 2012
12:22 am
If we’d continued on the Republican path after Bush2, we would have had soup lines. Under Obama, we have people lining up for their iPhone 5. Yeah, I’d say the economy has made a huge turnaround.
Under Bush2, we lost 3000 people in the worst terrorist attack in our history. We lost thousands more in Iraq. Obama has gotten us out of Iraq and working on getting us out of Afghanistan. We still have people killed by terrorists, but it sure as h77 hasn’t been 3000 on our soil. Oh, and we finally got Osama Bin Laden. Bush2 was so busy getting Osama’s family and Saudi friends out of the country after 9/11, I think he lost sight that he was behind the attacks.
Romney = Bush2, but more articulate and a better liar. At least Bush believed a lot of what he was shoveling. Romney has no beliefs – he just wants to get elected and make his backers money. His backers are citizens of the world, so if the USA goes down the tubes, it’s not really a problem.
JDW
October 11th, 2012
7:42 am
“The GOP had very little to do with the Recession”
Kind of like Hitler had no impact on WWII
iggy
October 11th, 2012
8:40 am
Advantage? Linda!
Today’s Headlines | Streetsblog Capitol Hill
October 11th, 2012
8:58 am
[...] Georgia Moves on to Plan B After T-SPLOST Debacle (AJC) [...]
Friday Facts: October 12, 2012 | Georgia Public Policy Foundation
October 12th, 2012
1:01 am
[...] Atlanta Journal-Constitution writer Kyle Wingfield’s column supporting the Foundation’s “Plan B” for transportation was published online. Sunday’s edition of the AJC also published our op-ed on Plan B as well [...]
MikeC
October 14th, 2012
6:28 pm
Plan ‘B’ should be an up-down vote on the outer loop. If there is not enough money to do it all, then do the Northern Arc first or make it a toll road. I can think of nothing else that will do more, in the long run to relieve congestion.