Governor Deal weighs in on July's transportation referendum

Excerpted from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Jan. 30, 2012
By Governor Nathan Deal

Georgia’s history of progress is, in part, a tale of investment in transportation. Beginning with the Port of Savannah in the 1700s and an extensive rail network in the 1800s, Georgia grew strong and prosperous because our ancestors understood the importance of building these vital economic connections.

It happened again after World War II with the development of the world’s most utilized international airport. We became the leader of the New South when we added a first-rate highway system that tied together our rural and urban communities and connected Georgia to the rest of our country.
Today, after decades of inadequate and inefficient transportation investment, our future economic growth is threatened by crumbling infrastructure and inadequate capacity. We are now challenged to invest in our continued growth and prosperity, and it is critical that we, like our ancestors, step up to the generational responsibility of maintaining and expanding our state’s transportation network.

That challenge will appear on the ballot in July in each of the state’s 12 transportation regions. Georgians will be asked to approve a 1 percent increase in the sales tax to fund strategic transportation infrastructure projects. Commuters, transit stakeholders and the general public would benefit from oversight, streamlining and coordination of the individual transit systems in metro Atlanta.... [snip]

[snip] ...For more than 250 years, Georgians have understood the value of investment in transportation infrastructure. Today, leaders on the local level have risen to the task. Now it’s our turn. I urge voters to understand the importance of keeping Georgia connected, to learn more about the plans for improvements in your region, and to encourage others to support the plans.
The ballot will ask Georgians to make a decisive investment in transportation. Regions that approve this investment will take a big step in the direction of securing Georgia’s economic future.

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