Kasim Reed speaks up for TSPLOST: ‘Just surviving means just surviving’
In an unexpectedly passionate speech that took aim at doubters and the news media, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed this morning declared the campaign for the transportation sales tax to be far from dead, and said passage of the July 31 referendum was needed to pull the region out of the doldrums that threaten its economic standing in the South.
“Just surviving is just surviving,” Reed told a group of TSPLOST supporters at City Hall, casting the referendum as a generational test that will determine whether the region can operate in a biracial and bipartisan manner that can attract new businesses and jobs.
Said Reed:
”The city of Atlanta and the state of Georgia, we’ve lost 200,000 jobs since the year 2007. We’ve lost 50,000 construction jobs since the year 2007. That hurt doesn’t have a color on it. And you all know as well as anybody that when the unemployment rate spikes for everybody else, it does even more damage to black people, Latino people, and rural people.”
The occasion at City Hall was an endorsement of the 10-county sales tax by the Atlanta Business League and other groups essential to city political efforts. But Reed used the event to make clear that, while Republicans are either hedging their support or opposing the measure, and even many Democrats have lined up against it, he intended to serve as a full-throated advocate during the final stage of the campaign.
The mayor first addressed concerns that the one-cent sales tax wouldn’t do enough for African-Americans in DeKalb and Fulton counties to warrant the support of black voters. Reed stared straight at state Sen. Vincent Fort, D-Atlanta, who was in the audience and has urged opposition. “Some of our friends are saying that it won’t help minority businesses enough. Y’all, that’s just flat-out not true,” Reed said, his eyes still glued on Fort.
Reed then threw cold water on automated polls commissioned by news organizations that show the referendum to be losing support by double digits– by reluctantly offering up a poll commissioned by Untie Atlanta, showing the initiative only three percentage points down.
“We didn’t want to show our poll, because the poll we took before that was better. All I’m asking you to do is call balls and strikes,” the mayor said, addressing the reporters in front of him. “The public deserves to have the facts, and the fact is that this is going to be a close election.”
Here’s a rough transcript of most of Reed’s remarks, with more to follow:
”Y’all, we did what everyone in America has been telling us they wanted to do. We had 18 Republicans and Democrats from rural and urban look at the future of the region and vote unanimously to pare down a list of more than $20 billion down to less than $6.14 billion, and pass it unanimously. And then take it out and put it up for a vote.
“So we’re not placing a burden on you. You have an opportunity to vote on something for yourself. But I need y’all to understand and remember and go text, call, phone, email, Facebook, Twitter, all of your friends and tell them that just surviving leads to just surviving.
“The city of Atlanta and the state of Georgia, we’ve lost 200,000 jobs since the year 2007. We’ve lost 50,000 construction jobs since the year 2007. That hurt doesn’t have a color on it. And you all know as well as anybody that when the unemployment rate spikes for everybody else, it does even more damage to black people, Latino people, and rural people. …
“Now we have a solution that your leaders have stood behind, and [Fulton County Commission Chairman] John Eaves is standing behind, and I’m standing behind, and the City Council is standing behind, and it’s going to help create transportation mobility like we’ve never seen, but it’s also going to help us build an infrastructure for the future. And it’s going to put $600 million a year into this local economy.
“Now, some of our friends are saying that it won’t help minority businesses enough. Y’all, that’s just flat-out not true. Let me tell you why. Show me another city in the United States of America that has a longer, more distinguished history – since Maynard Jackson, as mayor of this city – for doing business with women and minority business. Show me one. You’ve got $600 million that’s going to be spent with MARTA, which has robust women and minority and small business inclusion.
“You’ve got another $600 million that’s going to be spent, when we spend this measure, that’s going to be spent on the Atlanta Beltline to give you last-mile connectivity. You’ve got $850 million that’s going to be spent in DeKalb County, which has a robust women and minority business program. I don’t know about your math, but that adds up to $2 billion – about a third of the $6.14 billion. So folks that are saying that minorities and women and small business are not going to have a seat at the table are telling you not to believe your own experience and your own eyes….
“Now, another thing. I’ve been reading a whole lot about polls, about whether or not this is going to win. Take it from somebody who knows how to win when I’m behind. I spent two years behind. So you’ll have to excuse me for not getting nervous when we’ve got two weeks to go…..
“I’ve seen one poll that says we were down by 10 points. I’ve seen another poll that says we were down by 10. This is my challenge. Any news organization that has a poll – we have a poll that says the [race] is 38-41. It’s an 800 [voter] sample, which is in the 3 percent margin of error, which means it’s basically neck-and-neck, dead even. Now, I’ll be honest. We didn’t want to show our poll, because the poll we took before that was better.
“All I’m asking you to do is call balls and strikes….the public deserves to have the facts, and the fact is that this is going to be a close election.
“This election – if you gave every single person in the 10-county region a day off, put the election on Saturday, and emailed everybody a hundred times, and God gave us flawless weather, it was never going to pass by more than 54 percent. You understand me? So don’t get nervous about it being a close election, don’t get nervous about the ups and downs of campaigning. But I need you all to fight for this thing.
“I was with Bill Clinton a couple weeks ago. We were in Chicago. And he was talking about how important it is that we pass this in Atlanta, because people all over the world are watching to see what we’re doing. Look at the New York Times. Look at the Chicago [Sun]-Times, look at the Los Angeles Times. Look at Baron’s. Look at The Economist. They are looking to see whether Atlanta is going to step up and start operating in a bipartisan way that nobody in the Southeast has been able to take on….
“This is what we do in Atlanta…. Folks need to stop rooting against this region. I want y’all to hear that. Y’all remember six years ago – when you lost a job, there were two or three or four other jobs that you could go out and get. Right now you go to work on pins and needles, praying that you don’t lose your job, because there’s nothing else out there. I want you all to have opportunities again. I want you to have a robust economy that allows you to go and do other things.
“And folks who are on the other side of this debate haven’t put up one single solution. I know there’s a lot of talking in the street. But anyone who wants to have a serious debate about this, you tell me where to meet them, anywhere, anyplace, and we’ll have it. And we’ll see if they know what they’re talking about. ‘Cause I’m here to tell you, I’m going all out for this. And I believe in the Winston Churchill model. I smile when I fight. I love to fight.
“We did what you asked us to do. Y’all said you were sick of partisanship, and we did this in a bipartisan way. Y’all say y’all were sick about black folks being against white folks, we did it in a biracial way. Y’all said y’all were sick of rural against urban, we did it with rural and urban.
“We can have a debate. But, my goodness, let’s call balls and strikes. And let’s make sure you decide this election around real information. Because what I’m here to tell you is, that if you spend $600 million every single year, your future in this town is going to be better. That you’re going to get home to your family and your children faster. And that you’re going to be part of the most dynamic economy in the Southeast. That’s what I’m here to tell you.
After the speech, I followed the mayor into his office for a post-game interview. He again sounded the generational note:
“Our elected leadership has done what everybody says they want out of elected leaders. If there’s any frustration, that’s what you were hearing in me. Everything that people say that they want, happened in this process. The meetings were videotaped. They were open to the public. There was black people and white people. It was rural and urban. It was Republican-Democrat.
“What should have happened when we passed the project list the first time, it should have been heralded as what it was – which was the most significant political event in modern Georgia. That didn’t happen. But what’s happened recently is that the other side’s voice has been amplified…
I’ve been making the argument, but I’m going to make it a lot louder. …You’re going to continue to see elected officials do what elected officials do – move away from something that is about to fail. But this matter is too important. This is our generation’s moment to really move this region and this state ahead.
Reed began talking dollars and sense. “If we pull off the four significant things that we’ve been working on right now, our competitors can forget about it,” he said. The quartet? The water wars, the dredging of the Port of Savannah, the international terminal at Hartsfield-Jackson, and the TSPLOST.
“All of this stuff has been ugly. We have not won it with beautiful passes. You can put the warts and all on it,” the mayor said. “But nobody has given up any of their core values. None of these issues require me to be less of a Democrat, or Governor Deal to be less of a Republican.”
Reed’s bottom line: A biracial, bipartisan metro Atlanta has a future. A fractured one doesn’t.
- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider
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134 comments Add your comment
Hope is Near
July 17th, 2012
5:21 pm
I want to first congratulate Mayor Reed for seeing the potential in Atlanta and continually showing his support. Atlanta has the biggest opportunity to be seen in a positive light by the entire world right now and I for one plan to Vote YES on July 31st. If Atlanta doesn’t pass this referendum it could put the entire city and all the companies in a worse position. If you had a company, would you want your employees coming to work complaining about the horrible traffic they just sat in just to get to work? If you have a family would you like to know that you can make it on time to your children’s events because you didn’t have to sit in the traffic an extra 60 minutes? I think we could all agree that Atlanta has a problem and a solution to fix it. So why complain? Do you have an alternative? No you don’t because there isn’t one. Admit it, this is a working start to better things to come. Will there be flaws? Of course! Nothing is a solid perfect plan, but it’s better to have an idea out there than no idea at all. For all those complaining about 400 please show me where it says anything about the toll ending. There isn’t one. 400 will always and forever have a toll, but that doesn’t mean we have to stop moving forward. Let’s not be selfish and looking at what has happened in the past. We have to move forward and think forward. Let’s be progressive instead of falling behind. If Atlanta doesn’t Vote Yes then we can prepare to stay in a city with horrible traffic, loss of jobs, no upward mobility, and no plan to make this city the best city it can be!
VOTE YES JULY 31st!
ECobber
July 17th, 2012
5:23 pm
For the record, I’m not a Republican. I know it is difficult for some of you simpletons to realize, but many people do not blindly follow a party.
I also learned to read and write and form a complete sentence (though I admit I break more than a few grammar rules that would cause my college English profs to cringe). So I don’t have a mullet and I have never written a sentence like “mullets starting peek…” sir. And that is so cute that you learned to write LOL. I’m still smiling sir.
DannyX
July 17th, 2012
5:25 pm
“The Republicans haven’t really done anything over the past 10 years of their controlling the state governement,…”
No they haven’t. They haven’t done a whole lot for the suburbs they have been in control of for even longer. Look at the shape their transportation system is in. The car lovers in Cobb and Gwinnett have been led by politicians that allowed both counties to be over developed. Every square inch of land the developers could get their hands on has been built on. No thought at all was given to transportation. They can’t build more freeways for the cars they love because they didn’t plan for it, there is no place to put them.
They are stuck with band aids. Toll lanes and interchange expansions are not going to improve their traffic one bit.
freemefromtraffic
July 17th, 2012
5:33 pm
I think the Mayor is a leader. He has made a hard decision and stuck with it. We all know something has to be done. Already this week I have heard about 4 fatal car accidents. We have got to do something to create jobs, lighten traffic and invest in our own infrastructure and transportation or how can we expect people and businesses, of the federal gov’t, to invest in our city? All of these people who are complaining about this have no real solutions. They would rather be petty and personal and disparage the Mayor. I believe he wants more for the citizens and businesses of this city and sees that we have a long road ahead to become the world class city we want to be. I personally thank him and others for taking bold moves instead of whining.
AMitchell
July 17th, 2012
5:36 pm
Is there something wrong with wanting…to begin dealing with the regional traffic issues?
Is there something wrong with wanting…to put Georgia on a growth trajectory?
Is there something wrong with wanting…Georgia to excel commercially?
Is there something wrong with wanting…to be proactive?
Is there something wrong with wanting…to prepare?
Georgia founded the Girl Scouts of America
Georgia should —-”BE PREPARED”!!!
…Pass the Transportation Initiative!!!
Ga Values .................. VOTE NO FOR WASTE, GRAFT & CORRUPTION
July 17th, 2012
5:40 pm
AMitchell
July 17th, 2012
5:36 pm
How will the $600,000,000.00 or nearly 10% of tspLOST wasted on the beltline cut congestion?? We need projects that reduce congestion not line the pockets of Reed’s Corrupt Cronies.
@ECobber
July 17th, 2012
5:43 pm
Again, you missed the point. I haven’t, and I don’t think any other commentors, on here have referred to you as Republican. I simply responded to your comment about Atlantans stealing your tax dollars. WE DONT NEED IT!!!!
@ECobber
July 17th, 2012
5:48 pm
Atlanta has proven that we can utilize our special options taxes to benefit our city for greater growth! We have a stellar record with the feds re: the sewer overall and we have been paying for MARTA for years. Atlanta serves East Cobb in the same way that D.C. serves Virginia and Maryland, in that we supply an econmic catalyst for growth for suburban areas. The major differennce is the D.C. Metro Transit system is welcomed and championed in the suburbs and people move faster and more efficiently as a result!
ps
I still believe you have a mullet! LOL
@ECobber
July 17th, 2012
5:51 pm
I left an “o” out of economic, must be my APS education
yuzeyurbrane
July 17th, 2012
6:01 pm
Reed is competitive and does not like to lose. Nothing wrong with that. Simply part of the job description of any successful politician. But part of growing up, including politicians, is that you realize that you don’t always get what you want. So, calm down and forego the histrionics. Whether right or wrong, T-Splost is going down. Now be a grown-up about it.
Attack Dog
July 17th, 2012
6:08 pm
1. Kasim, let Dixiecrats “choke on their Smoke.”. 2. Dixiecrat Logic: Spend millions of taxpayers’ money on Voter ID laws just in case one day in the distant future that an illegal immigrant might vote for a Democrat, who has no chance of winning, as we are often reminded, in a bassackward so-called Dixiecrat rigged election. Whew!
Centrist
July 17th, 2012
6:13 pm
@ECobber – Referring to the Washington DC Metro system was a gross mistake. The construction required billions of federal dollars, originally provided by Congress under the authority of the National Capital Transportation Act of 1969 (Public Law 91-143). The cost was paid with 90% federal money (taxpayers/debt of non-citizens) and 10% local money. Operations are also subsidized by the 50 state taxpayers.
Big cities (Atlanta is not one of them) with much greater population density don’t lose quite as much taxpayer dollars (debt) as smaller ones. Mass transit is totally uneconomical in smaller markets like Atlanta. The suburban voters understand this, and will never voluntarily support such a system, even if it wasn’t rife with graft and cronyism.
Double Zero Eight
July 17th, 2012
6:23 pm
Anyone that thinks this tax will go away
in 10 years is delusional.
Attack Dog
July 17th, 2012
6:27 pm
We know how many cronies in Cobb, Gwinnett and other Dixiecrat areas. Name two Reed cronies thay have been convicted. Just naming some of “those” people will get it. Where is Joe Friday when you need him.
Ga Values .................. VOTE NO FOR WASTE, GRAFT & CORRUPTION
July 17th, 2012
6:34 pm
Attack Dog
July 17th, 2012
6:27 pm
As soon as Obama isn’t president, Reed & his Cronies will be taking a Bill Cambell vacation.. Read my post on the 1st page fquoting the AJC on illegal disadvantage bidders at the airport.
Ga Values .................. VOTE NO FOR WASTE, GRAFT & CORRUPTION
July 17th, 2012
6:35 pm
6:34 pm
Attack Dog
July 17th, 2012
6:27 pm
As soon as Obama isn’t president, Reed & his Cronies will be taking a Bill Cambell vacation.. Read my post on the 1st page quoting the AJC on illegal disadvantage bidders at the airport
WOODSTOCK
July 17th, 2012
6:36 pm
There are, obviously, citizens involved here without anything better to do. Thus far, I have read things from overly informed windbags, whose minds are so congested with numbers and percentages that personal opinions have somehow transformed into facts (inside of their own mind), as well as commentators who have turned this tiny comment forum into a personal arena. If we cannot respect each other, how exactly can we understand that Mayor Reed very much wants us all to band together towards ANY common goal? If productivity in this broken economy is any kind of goal, why are there people working against it? I, for one, think it is incredibly admirable for Mayor Reed to put on his umpire uniform and play by the game book—the economic game book that is the future of the city, these counties, this state and the country, not the book of the corrupt and borderline tyrannical as some have claimed. Mayor Reed is working void party affiliation and sans racial biases, why on earth is that a problem? Who could even think that was a problem?
If someone stood out on the corner and offered a job that paid nearly a thousand dollars a week—without any strings or catches—I bet all of the doubters and naysayers would be on board with that… as long as it wasn’t Mayor Reed.
Something else to think about, Mayor Reed spoke up—but the voice did not belong to only him. Who else knows that there are other officials and politicians involved in all of this. Mayor Reed is quite brave and always is. He deserves respect for that, if for anything else. His courage and passion should be testament to how wonderful a leader he is. His ability to properly choose his battles is also that of a leader. He could have sat back and said absolutely nothing, but something needed to be said and, in my opinion, that was what needed to be heard.
Bravo, Mayor Reed. Bravo.
Double Zero Eight
July 17th, 2012
6:37 pm
Our politicians obviously believe that
“you can fool (most) of the people all of the
time”. They have the audacity to place T-SPLOST
on a ballot for the voters to decide, after the broken
promise concerning GA 400.
Attack Dog
July 17th, 2012
6:56 pm
1. If you realized yoir spelling error, you may have been educated. At APS. You may not be able to spell at all if you’re from White County. 2. Public transportation is good for any community to get people to low wage jobs. In White County, you can walk from the company owned trailer park to work.
JR
July 17th, 2012
7:05 pm
Mayor Reed showed great leadership and vision today! Atlanta leads the southeast because Atlanta has always been two steps ahead of other southern cities when it comes to vision – the Airport, the 1st Braves Stadium, etc. Mayor Reed stands on the shoulders of a long list of visionary Atlanta Mayors whose bold ideas and passion for Atlanta has made her the envy of other southern cities. Atlantans today enjoy gifts from visionary ideas made a generation ago. Thank you Mayor Reed – Forward Into the Future!!!
Red
July 17th, 2012
7:09 pm
How’s that competitive bidding process to allow Delta to select a company to shuttle it’s employees from the airport to the hotels going again?
Ga Values .................. VOTE NO FOR WASTE, GRAFT & CORRUPTION
July 17th, 2012
7:10 pm
JR
July 17th, 2012
7:05 pm
Looks like Reed has a bunch of his interns posting his praises here.. waste of time & energy.
ECobber
July 17th, 2012
7:23 pm
AMEN Ga Values! The Reed mob can argue all they want, this proposal is going DOWN! I will be surprised if it even gets over 35% support.
The sad part of this entire discussion is that I truly believe that Atlanta needs massive growth programs (and I know many others feel the same way). However, this vote is going down due to a total lack of confidence in local governments around the Metro area.
So Reed interns, please stop trying to argue the validity of the program. Its fate was sealed long ago and there is no reason to believe in your boss changing the culture.
Auntie Christ
July 17th, 2012
7:27 pm
ga values “Looks like Reed has a bunch of his interns posting his praises here.. waste of time & energy.”
And it looks like a lot of people use the anonymity of the internet to slander/libel Atlanta’s public officials without offering the least shred of evidence or proof. Meanwhile the overt corruption of chip rogers,graves and America’s most corrupt congressman, now Governor, deal is defended and dismissed, and given contributions for reelection. Republican lies and hypocrisy would be shameful, but these people know no shame. You need to change your moniker to “republican values,” altho ga values is acceptable, given the acceptance of overt corruption by this state’s benign electorate.
Auntie Christ
July 17th, 2012
7:40 pm
And if you want to know the main problem with MARTA, it is the fact it is overseen by a bunch of redneck south Georgian farmers posing as law makers, who have no stake in it, contribute nothing to it except their meddling, and who would love nothing more than to see it fail so as to get their dirty hands on the money that people in Fulton/Dekalb have contributed the last 40 years. But hey, it’s run by the ITP crowd, it MUST be corrupt, else all my illusions and prejudices would be wrong.
bf110c4
July 17th, 2012
7:56 pm
The Wall Strret Journal reported yesterday that the majority of the nations Republican governors now support taxing online sales.They want the $24 Billion in new tax revenue . It never seems to stop. I don’t trust these guys to spend any of this money wisely. Vote no to the TSPLOST.
RGB
July 17th, 2012
8:02 pm
It’s hilarious that Reed’s endorsement of the tax increase is considered a “boost”. How funny.
jonqpublik
July 17th, 2012
8:04 pm
if only all taxes were subject to acceptance by vote…..only taxes that benefit the common needs of all would be approved. VOTE NO on this nonsense!!!
RGB
July 17th, 2012
8:09 pm
WOODSTOCK strikes me as an under-informed windbag.
The premise behind the tax increase is that it will reduce commute time.
There is no credible evidence to support the premise.
Even the TSPLOST chief analyst admitted this.
Question: If Mayor Reed said a tax increase would make the earth reverse its rotation, would you support it as the rube you are and term his support “heroic, admirable, and glorious”.
In times like these, people can’t afford another tax increase absent the proof of any discernible benefit.
Do you work for one of the contractors who would benefit from the passage of TSPLOST?
zeke
July 17th, 2012
8:11 pm
Is this a surprise? He is a left wing racist democrat! What would you expect?!!
Norm!
July 17th, 2012
8:15 pm
Just what government needs…more money to blow. No new taxes!! I’m voting NO.
td
July 17th, 2012
8:28 pm
Auntie Christ
July 17th, 2012
7:27 pm
“And it looks like a lot of people use the anonymity of the internet to slander/libel Atlanta’s public officials ”
No such action can be taken against public officials.
Trueman Kapoti
July 17th, 2012
8:29 pm
Ga Values is John Sugg, formerly of Creative Loafing and the new voice of all things against black leadership!
There you’ve been outed sir. Now use your real name going forward.
Trueman Kapoti
July 17th, 2012
8:32 pm
For the record, im not a Reed intern. My name is Benjamin Simmons, resident of Kirkwood and supporter of TSplost.
Cherokee citizen
July 17th, 2012
8:46 pm
Reading the posts regarding this topic has made for an enjoyable and enlightening after-dinner read. What stands out is that the arguments are a microcosm of the class warfare being fought all over the country.
The people on here that are defending the TSplost are quick to call all opponents names like farmers, rednecks, mullet-heads and (oh how terrible) Republicans.
Well, can you take it when it’s reversed? What if the opponents of the tax call all of you supporters names like “welfare recipients” and “liberal leeches”? After all, if you live downtown, why do you care about our commute and our transportation needs OTP? And if Atlantans are so very smart, wealthy and self-sufficient, then you should easily be able to find way to fund whatever projects you truly need.
Mayor Reed is obviously the hardest working, most ethical mayor EVER. He will undoubtedly find alternatives to grow the city without taxing all the redneck, mullet wearing, Republican farmers OTP.
Good luck with that!
Fairness
July 17th, 2012
8:48 pm
Reed need to stick with mismanaging the city of Atlanta and sit down and shut the h up. Why don’t he have the citizens of Atlanta to vote on their own transportation bill. I live in Dekalb County and will be voting NO as many times as I could. This is a giveaway for the good ole boys and a few so called AA that have been invited to the spending spree with pay-offs in tow. Please VOTE NO!
Byte me
July 17th, 2012
9:11 pm
Attack Dog so tell me about Bill Campbell and his reign of corruption. Reed is on the same track
hiram
July 17th, 2012
9:13 pm
Nothing in the proposal addresses the three intersecting interstates that add tens of thousands of out of town semi trucks, buses and passenger cars to Atlanta’s traffic daily, and produce total gridlock during multiple holidays. Any meaningful plan to address Atlanta’s traffic should be predicated on a realistic plan to route through interstate traffic around Atlanta. Anything else is just a waste of time and money.
Proud Voter
July 17th, 2012
9:20 pm
Road Scholar, so you ride your bike and don’t need no stinking roads? That’s probably a good thing. You should be very healthy. I just hope the EMTs and other emergency peronnel you may need one day are healthy enough to ride their bikes really fast to get to you in case of an emergency.
b
July 17th, 2012
9:32 pm
Too many holes in the plan and too much shilling. Too many politicians in this plan for it to come anywhere close to working.
RGB
July 17th, 2012
9:36 pm
If Reed can get just a small piece of $8,000,000,000, that’s waaaay better than doling out concessions contracts at the airport. He’d graduate to the big leagues then….national stage…..even more TV appearances…..cabinet appointment…..return to Georgia and run for Senate…..and lose.
Lunchman
July 17th, 2012
9:39 pm
Do what you can to eliminate the single occupancy cars. Maybe then the traffic problem will be solved. When I see the “improvements” of the roads mentioned in the TSPLOST, I travel one of them two, maybe three times a year. The others I travel once in my lifetime or never. Can’t wait to pay for something else I will never use.
Ed
July 17th, 2012
9:44 pm
I hope voters understand the TSPLOST amounts to a ruse….this tax will probably never go away. Ask yourself how often you have seen a splost tax really expire. Once the political class gets their hands on the revenue, they will make every effort to keep the tax revenue flowing. GA 400 is a perfect example how politicans fail in their initial commitments and then find excuses to continue the tax in perpetuity. Our governor even pledged to cancel the GA400 toll tax, but so far it has not been accomplished.
Kevin
July 17th, 2012
9:45 pm
I live in Midtown and work in Alpharetta. Trust me when I say that I know the pain and frustration associated with traffic in this region.
But I’m voting “No” on TSPLOST. Wrong projects, wrong mix, wrong to give local governments non-specified slush funds. Kasim lost my confidence when he threw his support behind the trolley between downtown and the King Center. He’s wasting very precious transportation resources on a project that will do NOTHING to resolve gridlock.
You so-called progressives need to dig your head out of your collective butts. Simply throwing money at a problem doesn’t solve it. Choose to support something based on the facts– not on your fear of how Atlanta will be perceived or because “doing nothing isn’t an option.”
Intown
July 17th, 2012
9:51 pm
I could not agree with Kasim Reed more and Galloway’s paring Reed’s words down to their essence: A biracial, bipartisan metro Atlanta has a future. A fractured one doesn’t.
Kris (already voted No)
July 17th, 2012
9:55 pm
@ Ga Values VOTE NO FOR WASTE, GRAFT , & CORRUPTION…I agree!
Strike One….no kick backs for Reed
Strike Two…no kickback Dirty deal and his cronies.
Strike Three…Still Ain’t gonna fix traffic. Ain’t help the braves
Recall Reed
Impeach Deal and arrest his cronies.
Vote NO ts-LOST
Hillarious
July 17th, 2012
9:59 pm
Reed could not be more wrong. I know of no one inside Atlanta or in the outer counties that is going to vote for this. Think of a worse time to ask the voters for a tax increase!
Larry
July 17th, 2012
10:06 pm
No! Neve3r!
Giving poorly run, dysfunctional governments more of our money to waste or pay themselves more salaries and benefits and no different than giving an alcoholic more alcohol and hoping he stops drinking.
They arleady get more than enough of our money so force them to spend it more wisely!
Larry
July 17th, 2012
10:09 pm
Does anyone remember the constant delays of al the road construction in and aournd Atlanta in the 80’s and 90’s?
Not again in my lifetime!
Mark G
July 17th, 2012
10:12 pm
Dear Mr. Mayor, you can not be trusted. MARTA can not be trusted. GDOT can not be trusted. Together you and your agencies have wasted millions of our hard earned dollars. You invest yourself in projects that don’t serve the community and when they are built, they have to be re-built. Sorry, NO, NO, NO, NO WAY you are getting this tax passed. We’re fed up with you creating messes and we the people paying for it.
By the way, Mr. Governor, tear down the GA400 toll booths.