I Support the TSPLOST- YES!!

Yippee!!! I have read the plan. I have seen the list of 157 projects. I was one of the more than 200,000 Georgia citizens who made their voices heard and concerns known. I have talked to people who were involved in the selection process. I was thrilled with State Legislators on both sides of the isle who FINALLY found ONE thing they all could agree on - we MUST improve Georgia's transit and transportation infrastructure to prepare for our own best future.  

I support intelligent options for expansion of transit, improvement of transportation and preparation for inevitable regional growth. I respect the good people with a vision for Atlanta’s future, who have stepped up and are taking the lead to insure we have the resources we need to keep Atlanta thriving. The process was transparent and open for anyone to participate in and comment on - don't believe anyone who tells you different. I know, 'cause I was there.

Born and raised in this City (and I mean in downtown Atlanta) I have listened to the argument over funding transit and transportation improvements in this City all my life. If Mayors Hartsfield and Jackson hadn’t had their visions for Atlanta we would not have the busiest international airport in the world and trust me, people with shortsighted vision fought them every step of the way. If Mayor Massell hadn’t put his career on the line for MARTA we wouldn’t have even the modest transit system we have today. I was here when the 75/85 connector was widened from eight lanes to 16 lanes right through the heart of downtown and you should have heard the 'hue and cry' over that decision. 

Now Mayor Reed is asking us to take Atlanta to an entirely new level. He asks us to embrace a vision of what we could become – a World Class City.  

The negative rhetoric of the do-nothings in this City is not going to reduce my enthusiasm. This is NOT a boondoggle to advance one political party’s agenda. This is not about making ‘bigger government’ or wasting ‘my tax dollars.’

This is about creating jobs. This is about intelligent transportation design. This is about getting cars off our roads. This is about improving the air we breathe. This is about making solutions to real challenges we already have. This is about getting ahead of the issues we know are coming. This is smart public policy.

Admittedly there were some structural issues with the legislation that will make this an imperfect process. There will have to be tweaks and changes along the way. Nothing is perfect. But none of the issues are insurmountable and none would be reasons to miss this unique opportunity. 

MARTA has gotten the shaft and that sucks. But all things run their course and you can be sure there must be a regional transit authority that will emerge out of this process and it will have the global scope necessary to tie buses and street cars and rail and The Atlanta Beltline all together under one umbrella. This is vital.

I will vote YES to the TSPLOST (Regional Transit Referendum) on July 31 and I ask you to join me. 

I will vote YES to progress. Will you?

I will vote YES to jobs. Will you?

I will vote YES to cleaner air. Will you?

I will vote YES to a better Atlanta. Will you?

Truth be told, this ATL Gal also thinks the commercials are way cool….the ’Untie Atlanta’ theme is kinda cleaver.  Don’t you think that says it all?

Join me on July 31.