Nathan Deal: Ga. 400 tolls to come down by end of 2013
More later, but here’s the press release just issued – there’s no mention of it, but clearly the timing is intended to help the July 31 vote on the transportation sales tax:
Fulfilling his promise to commuters, Gov. Nathan Deal today announced that he will have the state pay off its bond debt on Dec. 1, 2013, and move rapidly after that to remove the Ga. 400 toll by the end of that year. This will stop collection four years earlier than previously planned.
“Ga. 400 commuters have paid more than their fair share already, and this is the earliest we can bring it down without paying a penalty for early repayment of the bonds,” Deal said. “When the Ga. 400 toll went up, the state of Georgia promised commuters that it wasn’t forever. If we don’t keep that promise, we lose the faith of the people. We face many challenges when it comes to paying for new capacity, particularly in the Atlanta region. There are no easy answers, no secret pots of money, but it is imperative that governments build the trust of their people. As your governor, I will keep the promises I make to you.”
The Ga. 400 toll was originally scheduled to come down after 20 years, ending in 2011. In 2010 – after then-candidate Deal promised to end the toll the following year – the state issued new bonds tied to the toll revenue in order to pay for needed improvements in the Ga. 400 corridor, including a new connector to I-85. The $40 million in new bonds were issued Dec. 1, 2010, and they mature June 1, 2017. But at the three-year mark the state can repay the bonds without a penalty. Further, the state needs time to plan for physically bringing down the gates and the dramatic restructuring that will be needed in the toll area.
“As I have said many times before: I inherited a situation where we could not bring down the gates immediately, and we face a situation where we would have to pay a penalty for early repayment,” Deal said. “This timeline gives commuters a finish line, while still allowing us to meet our obligations. Moving forward, we’ll need to continue to work on long-term solutions to congestion in the 400 corridor. And I look forward to doing that in a transparent fashion that commuters can trust.”
The governor’s proposal requires approval of the State Road and Tollway Authority.
- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider
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412 comments Add your comment
MM
July 19th, 2012
1:19 pm
Deal can’t “unlie.” He is what he is: another Republican that lies to gullible rube voters knowing they have the attention span of a flea. except this time… Maybe there’s hope for the future if even conservative voters can be educated.
I'd vote for that!
July 19th, 2012
1:21 pm
The money would be better spent assisting companies with helping all of us to telecommute for work!
THINK PEOPLE
July 19th, 2012
1:22 pm
@OH Hail NO!: Right, the illegals who are the civil engineers, the contractors, all the services associated with this. Yes, definitely, we are a country where not only are construction workers all illegals, but so are all the educated… Geez, give me a break. By jobs, in addition to construction, it will create a demand for hundreds (if not more) of engineering jobs, the thousands of services that support engineering, leading to increased spending, yadda yadda, all of which can only help the regional economy.
Keep coming with the anti-progress. It seems to be the pattern, and not just with projects like TSPLOST. If this keeps up, we’ll have our own “brain drain” from Atlanta.
Btw, I’m fairly certain not all of our taxes go to “pad the politicians.” You may not see it, but a penny sales tax can go a LONG way. Check out Gwinnett’s SPLOST, new schools and parks are just a glimpse at what a 1% sales tax can do. Unlike so many other projects, everything on TSPLOST has been laid out in plain sight. If that doesn’t offer any “transparency”, then you need to open your eyes.
Your voting right is revoked
July 19th, 2012
1:22 pm
MM….this is not a republican vs. democrat issue…..you dumba…
Vote No
July 19th, 2012
1:23 pm
Voter,
A penny is what they say but what they should say is,
Would you like to increase the sales tax by 12.5%?
Your voting right is revoked
July 19th, 2012
1:25 pm
MM is proof there should be litmus tests to be able to vote.
If it doesn’t have a “D” besides the name on the ballot, MM doesn’t vote for them. Doesn’t matter if it’s a monkey……
lugnut
July 19th, 2012
1:25 pm
In this we have a clear example that when politicians are caught in a bald faced lie they will eventually do what it takes to neutralize the charge. Now, if the Governor would just demand from Atlantic Station the money that was used from the tolls to make that site habitable, we will be closer to calling it even
Perhaps while he is at it, he can swear off crony capitalism and appoint actual qualified people to the boards of these innumerable authorities in Georgia instead of friends and friends of friends that somehow magically become qualified because of their association with the Governor.
Bree
July 19th, 2012
1:27 pm
Why does the headline read political agenda? And who’s to say this won’t change in 2013? People will say and do anything to try and win votes. Know the facts people. Know the facts. You can’t believe Deal. He’s proven that.
vote NO to Obama in Nov.
July 19th, 2012
1:28 pm
Speaking of monkey….Obama just spent another borrowed trillion $ of money we can’t pay back.
He thinks the government is his own personal ATM.
OH Hail NO!
July 19th, 2012
1:29 pm
THINK PEOPLE put down the juice and pull your head out of your back side.. if you really believe the tsplost.. I have land I need to sell you in the Atlantic…
OH Hail NO!
July 19th, 2012
1:30 pm
vote NO to Obama in Nov. he also undid what Clinton did for having to work while on welfare….
Billy
July 19th, 2012
1:31 pm
Ignore the professional tax raiser clods on here that preach raising taxes. That’s the problem; that’s what we’ve been doing since before WWII. Can you spell “Greece?” I’m a political science major, and 50 years of age, so you can’t snow me like you can all these ignorant kids on here. Here’s the rule: ALWAYS VOTE “NO” ON TAX INCREASES AND ON ALL REFERENDA PROPOSALS. You can’t go wrong there. Let peanut eaters like Vote Yes and Yeah Right type hyper leftist propaganda until their fingers are worn completely down. There’s no such thing as a good tax and regardless of what they say on this board, if they propose taxes, either they’re the ones who won’t pay it or they’re filthy rich, like Obama disciple Warrne Buffett, and don’t mind you paying taxes that they support. Vote NO, don’t listen to these worshippers of gov’t; take my word for it, it’s a false religion…
OH Hail NO!
July 19th, 2012
1:32 pm
oh this is just good.. Washington to offer voter registration over face book. **thud**
save your pennies
July 19th, 2012
1:32 pm
A penny saved is a penny earned
save your pennies
July 19th, 2012
1:34 pm
Oh Hail……They want the vote early and often chicago type voters
save your pennies
July 19th, 2012
1:36 pm
What will be next years tax du jour, that we can’t do without?!
VOTE YES!!!
July 19th, 2012
1:38 pm
@ WOW. I’m sorry if it came across as an assertion. What I said was if you vote without reading the law first you are irresponsible. If you have read the law and are voting “no” based on correct information then no problem. Everyone is entitled to vote however they want. I would just hope they do it with all of the correct knowledge.
F TSPLOST
July 19th, 2012
1:38 pm
I think both my local and federal government are taking too much of my money. Period. They have enough tax money to pave the streets in gold if they wanted…but only if they give up spending it elsewhere. And that’s the problem. All the items on TSPLOST are all great projects….so budget your money better, government, if you want them completed. I can’t just demand a raise because I suddenly want to repave my driveway – I have to quit doing stuff that costs money and plan ahead. I am voting a big resounding NO on this steaming pile of bs.
Vote No
July 19th, 2012
1:38 pm
The campaign to vote yes is being privately funded.
The backers had a large meeting at the St. Regis this week.If I’m spending money on the campaign and holding meetings at the St. Regis, you bet I’m looking for a huge return via contracts and paybacks.
Rip Torn
July 19th, 2012
1:39 pm
Sorry Charlie,
Marta and GDOT ain’t getting another dime of my money if I can help it. You still haven’t said one good thing about the bill, all you say is oh the sky is falling erhh ahhh the infrastructure is crumbling…. besides didn’t Georgia get 7 billion from the stimulus for infrastructure? but that was then and this is now right…
OH Hail NO!
July 19th, 2012
1:40 pm
VOTE YES!!! since you are so in belief of what the govt is going to do with this money.. can I get $1000.00 from you.. I promise to pay you back
GregKennesaw
July 19th, 2012
1:41 pm
@VOTE YES
I’m voting against it because I don’t want my taxes to go up. Do I need another reason?
Greg
July 19th, 2012
1:41 pm
Funny this crooked Governor announces this just prior to the T-Splost vote… Don’t trust him, VOTE NO on Transportation bill. He could have said that when he was asked many times before.
Greg
July 19th, 2012
1:43 pm
* million dollars going toward Yes campaign, all from private companies who will reap a windfall at the taxpayers expense
Greg
July 19th, 2012
1:43 pm
8 million
Roswell Resident
July 19th, 2012
1:44 pm
We will see. I know that people believe that Atl people use the tolls just as much, but not so true. I live on GA400 and in the am, the traffic sucks going south and it is lighter going north. It is the reverse in the evening. We (residents in the North – Roswell, Alpharetta, Cumming, Johns Creek pay a lot to those tolls. I keep my account quite full for the State Toll Authority/PeachPass. I am over it. Bye Bye tolls. The traffic will not change – GA 400 was just built too small. Someone was not thinking about the increase in population when GA400 was being planned. But again when I see them come down, then I will believe it.
VOTE YES!!!
July 19th, 2012
1:46 pm
@GregKennesaw. No, you don’t. Do you think we can fund transportation relieve without raising taxes of some sort? Toll roads I guess. I can’t wait to hear the complaints about those.
Concerned Citizen
July 19th, 2012
1:46 pm
Georgia was voted the most corrupt state by politifacts for second year in a row, the average politician here receives $ 17,000 annualy in lobbiest money. The assembly has failed to bring a vote to floor or sign a pledge to stop this practice.
Concerned Citizen
July 19th, 2012
1:47 pm
NO!!! to T-Splost
SKE
July 19th, 2012
1:48 pm
The Ga 400 toll is the main reason I’m voting NO this week. And I’m encouraging others to vote NO! The State of Georgia does not have my trust. The toll on 400 was supposed to stop at a given date but the legislature found another reason to keep it going legitimate or otherwise. The agreement was to stop it and you did not keep youor word. I could care less, end it right now and pay the penalty. It was your word that said it was going to end at a certain time and it did not. Show good will and end it in the next several months.
steve-o
July 19th, 2012
1:48 pm
Rip Torn,
Georgia actually got $700 million and a lot of that money has bent spent on projects that were shovel ready. However if you don’t trust GDOT, then why do you drive on the roads? In fact, why do you even live here if local and state government is so untrustworthy?
OH Hail NO!
July 19th, 2012
1:48 pm
VOTE YES!!! if YOU want it so bad.. go write a freaking check to them and then SHUT UP
Vote No
July 19th, 2012
1:48 pm
Vote yes, What did the St. Regis serve for breafast?
VOTE YES!!!
July 19th, 2012
1:49 pm
I have no idea what the St. Regis is. Is that a hotel?
Jerry Landfill
July 19th, 2012
1:51 pm
Now how about the toll on 85???
VOTE YES!!!
July 19th, 2012
1:51 pm
@SKE.It will end in 10 years by law. Does that change your opinion?
48-8-241.
(b) When the imposition of a special district sales and use tax is authorized according to the procedures provided in this article within a special district, subject to the requirement of referendum approval and the other requirements of this article, a special sales and use tax shall be imposed within the special district for a period of ten years which tax shall be known as the special district transportation sales and use tax.
VOTE YES!!!
July 19th, 2012
1:52 pm
@OH Hail NO! – If I had that kind of money I would not be in this state to begin with.
Vote No
July 19th, 2012
1:52 pm
Wow, you’re spending all your time defending the indefensible and you didn’t get the breakfast?
VOTE YES!!!
July 19th, 2012
1:53 pm
You guys are getting so angry because I’m just quoting HB 277. Crazy.
VOTE YES!!!
July 19th, 2012
1:54 pm
I’m looking for more than a free breakfast. Maybe a better city to live in. Probably too much to ask.
i'm just saying
July 19th, 2012
1:55 pm
I think the tolls should stay, in the long run, the money is only going to help the state
starlifter
July 19th, 2012
1:55 pm
NO, NO, NO ! ! !, Stop stealing my money to pay for votes !
Vote No
July 19th, 2012
1:56 pm
How about the one you came from?
Jeffrey Smith
July 19th, 2012
1:57 pm
Carla -
I live in Fulton County and I commute to Downtown for work. I am pissed that I still have to pay a toll when it should have been removed as promised. I don’t agree with your comment that commuters need to pay for roads that is absurd oh and – Florida does not have sales tax. I am a former resident of Florida and I assure you the roads in Georgia – especially Metro Atlanta (potholes and all) are better than the majority I traveled in Florida.
iheartsarah
July 19th, 2012
1:59 pm
TSPLOST: You ain’t getting my penny!
Vote No
July 19th, 2012
1:59 pm
i’m just saying , How?
steve-o
July 19th, 2012
1:59 pm
Well, Vote No, sounds like you’re a little insecure that people with differing political views may be eating better than you…
VOTE YES!!!
July 19th, 2012
2:00 pm
Born and raised here. You?
OH Hail NO!
July 19th, 2012
2:00 pm
Vote Yes.. I am looking at the Ga Gen Assembly and it states that the HB 277 is a Hunging, baiting, and hunting of deer and feral hogs…(http://www1.legis.ga.gov/legis/2011_12/sum/hb277.htm)
GeorgiaDuck
July 19th, 2012
2:01 pm
T-Splost will create a lot of construction jobs. Please enlighten me on how else do you want to fix the traffic mess in Atlanta.