Channel 2 poll: Support for transportation sales tax continues to slip
Lori Geary and Channel 2 Action News have posted another poll that shows support for a transportation sales tax in metro Atlanta continuing to slip – and not just among white Republican voters anymore.
The automated poll, conducted by the Republican-oriented political service firm Rosetta Stone Communications, has a 3.1 percent margin of error. Take a look at the crosstabs here. From the Channel 2 website:
The poll, conducted July 11, found only 33 percent of metro Atlantans support the referendum while 56 percent oppose the measure. Twelve percent remain undecided.
Seventy-one percent of Republicans in metro Atlanta now oppose the referendum, but only 50 percent of Democrats support the July 31 vote. Broken down by race, 47 percent of African-American supporters favor the referendum. Sixty-seven percent of white voters oppose it.
This in the face of a resumed TV campaign.
Those supporting the sales tax point out that, in a mid-summer primary, turnout is likely to be low and thus figuring out who will actually cast a ballot becomes an imprecise science. This will be about turnout, they say.
John Garst of Rosetta Stone sent the following state via email late this afternoon:
“The moment of realization has to be setting in with the business community in Atlanta. After spending millions of dollars on this campaign and seeing poll numbers drop steadily, they need to be searching for plan B.”
The survey, which was conducted on Wednesday night, sampled 1,050 pre-screened primary voters of both parties and was weighted to accurately reflect the demographic and geographic turnout.
“Due to the nature of this issue and the confusion surrounding the polling for this referendum, I invite anyone from the public, the T-Splost campaign, nervous donors or the opposition to call me and I will explain and clarify all numbers.”
- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider
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318 comments Add your comment
Mike
July 13th, 2012
11:23 pm
No conservative I know personally is supporting this tax. No liberal I know is supporting it either.
I go through the toll booths on 400 every workday, and I’m reminded that the projects constructed with this tax will need to be maintained, which means more taxes to pay for that.
It takes thirty-five minutes for me to drive to work. If I took MARTA it would require a bus to a train to a bus and would take two hours. A rail line up 75 to Cobb would reduce that, and a rail line farther up 400 would reduce it too. But I don’t see that happening.
The other reason race comes into the results of the poll is that there’s an assumption that white people don’t want mass transit to enter new areas because it will mean black people coming in and messing things up.
Look before I leap...
July 13th, 2012
11:42 pm
It is fascinating to me that there really are folks in the burbs who think the undesirables (aka “black folk”) will get on the subway, trek 25 miles north, walk 7 miles to their house and make off with a 52″ TV and JVC sound system and then reverse the journey back to the urban jungle.
terry
July 13th, 2012
11:57 pm
I want you jack asses that say the republicans that want this.. you people are stupid..NO ONE WANTS it but the ones in office…
FedUp
July 14th, 2012
12:11 am
No one is going to vote for an increase to expand crime ridden Marta into the northern burbs. No thanks, I will sit in traffic before I see Marta and their ill run operation come North.
Rich
July 14th, 2012
12:48 am
Winnie @ 8:15 PM
You really nail it. The best posting I have seen on T-SPLOST: “TSPLOST is a long list of projects that don’t really address our traffic problems. Too many projects were included like the improvements at McCollum Field in Cobb or the Beltline to take the project seriously as a traffic reducer. Why in the world would Cobb County see a train from Cumberland to the Arts center as the best way to reduce traffic in the county?
The fact is that the pols had all kinds of reasons for the project list they came up with and traffic improvment was only one of the reasons.
We need to say “no” and have the politcians who work for us after all, come up with a better project list”.
ENOUGH SAID!!!
Reta
July 14th, 2012
1:10 am
Crazy Like a Fox @ 3:02 PM,
While I agree with you that a “no” vote is the way to go, you really should know you are flat out wrong about who is at fault. The is a Republican lead plan, and not a good one, sorry to say. Call the Governor, county elected officials and state legislators to give them a piece of your mind.
Your post said, “This is nothing more than pandering to minorities with money seized from the productive to pay them reparations for past wrongs. Welcome to Obama’s (hope you like your change) America”.
S
July 14th, 2012
1:12 am
In Washington it is proclaimed everyday they’re in chamber(which isn’t very often) by the Republicans, NO to everything that will get this country moving in the right direction again. What have our local Republicans done in the last 10 years they’ve been in control, not a darn thing except try to makes everyone pay these fee’s on our roads that are already paid for. Hidden fees on everything, built a fish farm that cost millions that practically no one goes too, try and pass Splosts all because of their poor past and present management.
Every state gets projections of what their states will look like 10 20 30 years into the future. What have our Republican controlled legislator done, pass bills taking rights away from Women. Yep, that sure is creating Jobs or building roads. Of course they didn’t stop there with their War on Women, in box # 5 under Republican Questions, on the ballet this primary season July 31st, they are asking you along with this Splost if you would like to vote yes on their monstrous person-hood amendment. This is what our Republican legislators are doing while under the dome, which sure hasn’t built roads or created jobs.
Republicans spent like drunken fools, in Washington during the previous administration and so did Georgia under Perdue, and now they want the taxpayers to bail them out. NO on # 5 and NO on Referendum 1! Figure it out legislators or the voters will be replacing all of you because you are not worthy of your office seat. I’ve already made up my mind, in November Republican Incumbent is going to be a dirty word for me at my voting place.
Oh, and make sure you vote YES in the box that says (”Do you support ENDING the current practice of unlimited gifts from Lobbyist to our state legislators by imposing a $100 cap on such gifts”). Personally I don’t think legislators should be allowed any gifts and this group, in particular, of Republican legislators, deserve nothing but a dunce cap.
Print out your ballot on the Georgia Government site so you make voting a breeze to get through the voting process. And don’t forget to Vote and vote smart.
Johnny
July 14th, 2012
6:08 am
I’m a democratic voter and I am typically supportive to government programs but I have a problem with wasteful spending. What are we doing with the funds from the 400 tolls? Why can we install more toll roads to help pay for SPLOST projects? That way we can pay for roads based on those who use them.
Jo
July 14th, 2012
6:22 am
I dont think I like this Republican tax and spend boondoggle of a transportation initiative without many more metros. I have lived overseas most of my life and came back to a country that isnt number one in anything but military spending and expensive health costs. Me thinks that tis time to leave this growing cess pool to others as I cant see the country doing anything else but going down in a slow death spiral of idiocracy….
The Social Diva
July 14th, 2012
7:47 am
The only knot this unties is in the politicians bank accounts. This will NOT untie any traffic unless you all plan on riding Marta, which is financially bankrupt. Even the city residents won’t ride it, how do you expect to expand it to the suburbs and expect us to ride it? And don’t get me started on more bike paths. From what I can see, the people on bikes like to ride in the road even if there IS a path!
The Social Diva
July 14th, 2012
7:49 am
Jo, perhaps you would be better served going back to whatever country you deem better than America.
TAX PEOPLE UNTIL THEY ARE TAXED TO DEATH
July 14th, 2012
7:52 am
all we need are just a few more TAXES
NO!!!!
July 14th, 2012
8:26 am
VOTE NO on this corrupt tax! It will line the pockets of connected parties, not help taxpayers!
VOTE YES to END the current practice of unlimited gifts by lobbyists to corrupt legislators.
The theft by government must end!
Sideline Dude
July 14th, 2012
8:41 am
NO, NO, NO. Read my lips, No New Taxes. Period.
‘Untie Atlanta’ isn’t a slogan for the rest of Georgia | Political Insider
July 14th, 2012
9:01 am
[...] Channel 2 Action News poll, conducted by the GOP-oriented firm Rosetta Stone Communications, showed support for the sales tax slipping in metro Atlanta. Fallout from the struggling campaign is showing up [...]
‘Untie Atlanta’ isn’t a slogan for the rest of Georgia
July 14th, 2012
10:45 am
[...] Channel 2 Action News poll, conducted by the GOP-oriented firm Rosetta Stone Communications, showed support for the sales tax slipping in metro Atlanta. Fallout from the struggling campaign is showing up [...]
Let’s Call It: T-SPLOST In Trouble
July 14th, 2012
10:46 am
[...] way, but a new Rosetta Stone poll, as reported by the Cox juggernaut of Lori Geary for WSB and Jim Galloway for the AJC, have what may be the Achilles heel being ripped at by new opposition. The measure losing favor [...]
Albert Einstein
July 14th, 2012
12:46 pm
If this tax was strictly for funding the expansion of a commuter rail system similar to the one in Washington DC I would vigorously support it. MARTA, and it exists now, has limited usefulness for those of us in the suburbs so we are forced to drive. Unfortunately, this referendum is one big thumbs down for me. We should be scrapping the I-75 toll project in favor of a commuter rail line heading to Acworth and Woodstock. I’m very dissappointed the decisions being made by the planners.