Nathan Deal’s Plan B: Governor intends to step into transportation vacuum
On Tuesday morning, as metro Atlanta voters hurled an $8 million sales tax campaign into the trash, Gov. Nathan Deal held what aides called his first session with top transportation officials to discuss Plan B.
What voters dismissed was a bottom-up list of $8 billion in road and rail projects created by local elected leaders. (Read the main AJC piece on the TSPLOST vote here.)
The Plan B that staggered out of the governor’s office will be its polar opposite: Dramatically smaller, paid for with shrinking funds, and highly centralized. Projects will be hand-picked by a governor who intends to squeeze every penny available.
And no matter what others might say today, don’t look for a sequel to the TSPLOST referendum. A second vote has no place in the governor’s Plan B.
Instead, Chris Riley, the governor’s chief of staff, said traffic planners in regions across the state will be quickly asked to resubmit lists of road and rail proposals that require state and federal funding – figuring in an 8 percent decrease in federal funding. The governor has veto power over each list.
Riley said that Deal intends to use that authority to direct cash to absolutely essential projects in metro Atlanta and elsewhere. “The state’s top transportation priority is the Ga. 400 and I-285 interchange,” Riley said. But metro Atlanta residents could also find themselves enduring pot holes and worse for the sake of better roads around the Port of Savannah, he added.
That’s another priority.
The governor’s top aide said Deal had been hesitant to speak of alternatives before TSPLOST balloting ended. ”We didn’t want anyone to think that it would fail. But you can’t be a governor and not look at both options,” Riley said.
The governor is likely to express his disappointment today over the outcome of Tuesday’s vote. Certainly he will focus on the price of austerity, as chosen by voters. “Will we be able to compete in the global market with Plan B? Yes. Will every company look at us? No,” said Brian Robinson, Deal’s director of communications.
But in a way, defeat clears the way for Deal to assume full responsibility for the mess that is Georgia’s system of planning and paying for moving goods and people. The TSPLOST referendum, with its awkward system of roundtables to settle on project lists and a vote conducted in the heat of a GOP primary, was the handiwork of Gov. Sonny Perdue.
But, however liberated he may feel, Deal has few options. The most direct route – asking a Republican-led Legislature for a tax increase, whether on gasoline or anything else, is off the table. Some opponents of the TSPLOST, including Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers of Woodstock, have said they’ll push for a second TSPLOST referendum with a more road-friendly list.
But that would require a Legislature willing to debate it, a business community willing to pony up millions for another campaign, and Republican leadership in suburban Atlanta that will speak up for when the time for voting comes. Let’s ask Tim Lee, the chairman of the Cobb County Commission, how that worked out for him.
Any attempt at a second vote will move without the governor’s backing. “We haven’t given any thought of presenting it to the General Assembly,” Riley said.
That leaves the big decisions on what will be built, and with what funds, largely in the hands of the governor, the state Department of Transportation, and planning agencies like the Atlanta Regional Commission. But mostly in the hands of the governor.
“The governor will not move forward without the consent GDOT,” Riley said – very carefully. Deal will court approval from the DOT board, but he intends to keep the initiative. The governor recently appointed a trusted aide, Toby Carr, as the DOT’s planning director, giving him another layer of control over what transportation projects are funded.
So the Atlanta Regional Commission will soon have to clear its wish lists with the governor. ARC Chairman Tad Leithead said he’ll be happy to do so. “I think the entire state would welcome anything the governor does to keep transportation moving,” he said.
- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider
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424 comments Add your comment
Tech
August 1st, 2012
3:23 pm
@Good Grief,
The definition of Metro Atlanta is the definition. I didn’t make it up. That’s not my wiki page. And there are 1000’s of other Metro Areas around the US, so I’m sorry if you didn’t understand what that meant.
BTW, you’re not wasting my patience, you’re just not seeing the logic. Like for example, you say we shouldn’t ask people to contribute in a down economy. So I guess we should wait for the economy to magically get better before we start asking people to contribute to help make the economy better. Right?
The project list went out 10 years until 2022…I’m pretty sure that signals that its not going to happen overnight…
It doesn’t matter whether you come inside the perimeter or not. Read my many posts above about Atlanta Metro area and how it’s interconnected…SMH.
What’s funny Good Grief is that I telecommute. I work from home. So most of the traffic doesn’t even affect me, but I know this is good for Atlanta and voted yes.
Wutehvah
August 1st, 2012
3:24 pm
Good question marl745…
What about the ad valorem tax? Gas tax?? GA 400 tolls?? What are those funds used for today??
Tech
August 1st, 2012
3:35 pm
@marl745 http://www.gpb.org/news/2011/03/24/half-of-georgia%E2%80%99s-stimulus-money-spent
Tech
August 1st, 2012
3:37 pm
@Barry The government is made up of people. I agree that this issue has really come down to a question of fiscal responsibility. How do we fix it? We vote these folks in. What needs to change beside the quality of people that run for office?
Ga Values
August 1st, 2012
3:39 pm
Bryan — MARTA supporter
August 1st, 2012
1:33 pm
Below are Shady Deal’s comments in Covington today. You might start looking for a job right now. Scott is on her way OUT.
Deal said he was not inclined to make increased funding of MARTA a priority.
“MARTA needs to be fixed, and before the taxpayers are going to spend any more money on MARTA, I think they’ve also sent a message that they’re not going to put more money into something they perceive is not functioning appropriately with the revenue that’s available,” he said. “I’m sure that’s a discussion that will occur during the next legislative session. ”
http://www.ajc.com/news/deal-rejects-possibility-of-1488952.html
Specializer
August 1st, 2012
3:40 pm
@Puerile Pedant Exactly the type of reply I would expect. Instead of acknowledging an issue you throw out an emotional retort. Excellent plan for moving forward.
ITP and OTP are inexorably intertwined without question. However you can not argue the fact only approx. 9% of Metro Atlanta residents reside inside the city limits. Expanding that to all of ITP, I’d guess maybe 20% to 30%, but have no figures to support, only a guess. Both require the other. However that doesn’t mean one should bleed the other dry.
@ Hayek – Exactly my point. Lived all over this town for over 40 years, both ITP and OTP. Went OTP for good when I had kids 8 years ago. Why??? Better schools, better services, nicer communities, less crime, more value for my dollar – plain and simple. The trade-off is 2 hours in the car a day, but a choice I make for quality of life.
Simple solution…. give people a reason to move back ITP and they will. Congestion decreases.
Asking for more money so cities and counties that have driven themselves into the ground through corruption and mis-management can continue in their ill-conceived ways……. yeah you are going to get a fight every time. People are tax weary, no matter the issue. Time for government to live within their means like the rest of us.
marl745
August 1st, 2012
3:43 pm
@Tech. Thank you for the article. most of the stimulus money being spent on resurfacing seems a bIt, uh, WASTEFUL!!!!
Specializer
August 1st, 2012
3:56 pm
@Tech What needs to change is holding them accountable. We elect them to represent US, their constituents. They are supposed to get together, review the facts, weigh the support and impact and make a decision…… not punt it to a popular vote so they can lay responsibility elsewhere when it doesn’t go as planned. Being a politician is supposed to be a civic duty and honor, in service of your fellow citizens, not a career path to early retirement and kick-backs.
Tech
August 1st, 2012
3:57 pm
@marl745 You’re welcome.
I agree it does seem wasteful. It will only get worse with more congestion on the roads. As we put more and more cars on the roads they will have to resurface at a faster pace. I don’t know what that pace becomes but its pure physics. More cars, more wear and tear, more of a need to resurface. Which leads to traffic congestion going through those areas….
Steve
August 1st, 2012
4:29 pm
It’s simply about trust…and the voters of this state (and every other for that matter) don’t trust politicians from either side of the isle. Their intent may have been noble and it may have well been from the “bottom up” proposals, but the train that is our trust in government has long left the station…
Puerile Pedant
August 1st, 2012
4:32 pm
Poor little Hayek — did I hurt your feelings?
Type all the invective about people who live inside Atlanta. That kind of talk is not going to make anyone move to the suburbs and Enjoy Your Car. Maybe get some books on tape to improve your narrow mind:)
Puerile Pedant
August 1st, 2012
4:41 pm
Hey Specializer — So Hayek makes generalizations about people who live in-town and you find that reasonable?
That’s laughable. When I moved to this city 25 years ago the folks in the suburbs hated intown people and vice versa. Nothing has changed. When I see someone like Hayek spewing hate for people who live in-town, I get right down to their level because that is what they understand, not “live and let live” talk. Its OK with me if y’all stay in the Burbs as the old joke goes:
What is the quickest way to Alabama from Little Five Points?
Answer: 20 miles in any direction. Once you go outside of 285, its all Alabama.
Specializer
August 1st, 2012
5:13 pm
@Puerile Pedant Yes I do find it reasonable, especially when compared to your puerile and pedantic diatribes (yeah I catch on fast). It is reasonable because it is true as far as my observations show. Spewing hate? Show me the hate in “I find it funny that some of the ITP crowd think if we OTP were more than willing to live in a 40-60 yr old 1,200 sq/ft single family home for twice cost of our current home that we’d somehow “get it”. ” Where is the denigration, the hostility, the vile? It’s a statement of observation, and in my opinion a true one, as you yourself have proven.
I have no hatred for ITP’ers, but I do resent the pervasive sentiment that I am somehow the enemy because I moved OTP for a better life as opposed to staying in a steadily decaying environment with laughable leadership. I resent the implication I am the problem, instead of acknowledging the true source of the problem – inept, corrupt and reprehensible leadership that drove people to Suburbia for the last 40 years instead of working to grow the ITP population.
You can keep L5P. Used to be cool, not so much anymore. And while you are at it, grow up and make intelligent arguments and statements instead of whining like a child not getting their way.
Kat
August 1st, 2012
5:14 pm
Some of the projects weren’t worth pursuing. As for the person calling Chip Rogers a genuis..Darn right he is! Hopefully he’ll run for President eventually
LOLA
August 1st, 2012
6:02 pm
Where is the stimulus money? Oh yeah, brilliant Leadership decides not to use “all of the funds”. Well get out of my pockets for your lack of leadership. People Wake UP! It can’t get any better when someone gives you a bill to vote against your best interest for 10 years and they are already showing you “hotlanes” in Gwinnett that don’t work, TOLLS on 400 that have been paid and are still paying with no accountability of where those funds are going, Property tax and gas taxes already higher than other regions with better amenities….How is that RED STATE working for you? Also isn’t it against Republican Principle to raise taxes? What a contradictory state we find ourselves in? FULL SUPPORT PRESIDENT OBAMA 2012: Educate yourselves; they are asking you to pay for their inept leadership: http://stimulus.georgia.gov/ and http://www.whitehouse.gov/progressreports/GEORGIA/
CashO
August 1st, 2012
6:40 pm
has nathan had his millions in debt paid off by a connected “friend” yet? It’s a matter of time.
martaplan
August 1st, 2012
6:44 pm
“MARTA doesn’t go to Turner Field cause it was never in the plans to do so. Nothing to do with the olympics.”
one of the dumbest decisions in the history of transportation—not locating either the field near a marta stop or a marta stop near the field. The field’s in a bad area, with nothing to do, no restaurants, no bars, nothing—great planning by the crooks who came up with that idea—very typical atlanta.
kasim want his
August 1st, 2012
6:49 pm
maynard, bill and shirley lined their pockets with atlanta tax money on fraud and pork—now kasim want his money for his family and connections–he mad about not getting hold of these billions. Where he supposed to get his money now????
Robert
August 1st, 2012
7:24 pm
look, we have problems with the traffic and our mass transit.there always plan B to get it right.come on, t-splost is not worth it anymore now.we need to fix MARTA or else-change the system name to-MAT-Metro Atlanta Transit! everybody, can you say MAT now. Metro Atlanta Transit is coming!
CATA!
August 1st, 2012
7:35 pm
change marta to CATA: corrupt atlanta transportation authority–it’s a better fit.
Tim
August 2nd, 2012
1:00 am
“Bryan — MARTA supporter
August 1st, 2012
9:33 am
“Here’s why the T-SPLOST failed. Because of comments like Tim August 1st, 2012 1:02 am
Uninformed people. The Ga 400 tolls were nothing like the T-SPLOST because there was no limit set on how long the tolls would be in place. There were limits set by law with the T-SPLOST.
Also the HOT lanes were force upon commuters. We had the option to vote on this. Enjoy your plan B no voters!”
First of all, you should know that the Ga 400 toll was only supposed to be collected until the road was payed for. That happened several years ago. And why would a “Marta Supporter” be in favor of T-SPLOST? The T-SPLOST kept restrictions on MARTA, and they wrote into the law that MARTA could not use any of the money for operations. The 50/50 rule still applied. It was the only transit agency in the state that the T-SPLOST had this restriction on, the GRTA could use T-SPLOST money for operations.
Financeroll English | The Tea Party’s Dilemma: Georgia Voters Want New Roads But Said No To A Plan To Fund Them
August 2nd, 2012
1:07 am
[...] Riley, a governor’s arch of staff, told a Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Wednesday that Deal called his initial event with a state’s tip travel officials to plead [...]
Tim
August 2nd, 2012
1:16 am
This blog really annoys me.
You submit your comment, and then it doesn’t get posted. If your post contains certain words (not even profanity) then it wont go through. It’s just absurd.
Tim
August 2nd, 2012
1:19 am
@Bryan– Marta supporter
I would love for you to go out to south Dekalb, and tell them they were wrong for voting down T-SPLOST. Remember, they have been supporting MARTA for 40 years, and never got rail. Now they are supposed to pay 2 cents on every dollar for transportation, and still would not get a rail line. They would have been misguided to vote for this. And spare me with the nonsense about it’s not a 2% tax. Since you want to play semantics, I’ll break it down for you:
1 cent Marta tax + 1 cent T-splost tax = 2 cent transportation tax. (and still no MARTA) Get it?
I guess they were supposed to pay for your wasteful Emory line and the Atlanta Beltline Real Estate Gentrification Scam, while being left out in the cold. You direct all your anger towards the people who had the common sense to vote down this pork-filled, road-builder corporate welfare T-SPLOST, when you should be upset at the people who compiled the project list.