Regional Transportation Referendum: How Will You Vote?

In a tad more than 70 days, metro Atlanta residents will be voting on a referendum that will fund $8.5 billion in transportation improvements through a regional one percent sales tax on July 31.

If you had to cast your ballot today, would you approve a penny sales tax to fund transportation projects in the metro area? Please share with us why or why not. 

Do you have questions about the proposed one-cent sales tax? The Atlanta BeltLine continues to host "Transportation Referendum Information Sessions" throughout the Atlanta BeltLine. All meetings are from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. and the information presented will be the same at each meeting.

They include:

Thursday, May 24 (Southwest) Location: West Hunter Street Baptist 1040 Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard

Thursday, May 31 (Westside) Location: Atlanta Community Food Bank 732 Joseph E Lowery Boulevard

Monday, June 4 (Northside) Location: Piedmont Hospital Piedmont Hospital, McRae Auditorium, 1984 Peachtree Road 

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The Atlanta BeltLine of course is the $2.8 billion redevelopment project that is building a network of public parks, multi-use trails and transit along a historic 22-mile railroad corridor circling downtown and connecting many neighborhoods directly to each other.

The BeltLine and the City of Atlanta have been hosting a series of informational meetings with the Cobb County Department of Transportation, to discuss proposed transit alternatives that could connect the Cumberland area to Midtown. Come and receive more information on Monday, May 21 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., at the Atlanta Community Food Bank located at 732 Joseph E Lowery Blvd.

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On June 7, the Georgia Tech Business Network will host a public forum on the transportation referendum. The 6:30 p.m. event will be at LeCraw Auditorim located in the Georgia Tech College of Management at 800 West Peachtree Street. 

The panelists include Mark Toro, Managing Partner, North American Properties; Dave Williams, Vice President of Transportation, Metro Atlanta Chamber; and Debbie Dooley, National Coordinator, Tea Party Patriots. Catherine Ross who chairs the Center for Quality Growth & Regional Development at Georgia Tech, will serve as the moderator.

See here for more information and to register.

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Elected officials in each of the 10 Atlanta-area counties will be holding free "wireside chats" in June to answer citizens' questions on the upcoming TSPLOST vote.

City of Atlanta Councilmember Lamar Willis hold a session on June 4 at 6:15 p.m.

DeKalb County CEO Ellis and Decatur Mayor Floyd will hold a session on June 13 at 7:30 p.m.

Citizens can access the session by calling 404-463-3227 or by visiting www.wiresidechats.com.

Each chat will last for one hour and will focus on projects in the local officials’ areas. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions directly of their local officials. If a question is not answered during the call, the caller will receive a response via email.

On July 31, residents across the 10-county Atlanta region including Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry and Rockdale counties, as well as the City of Atlanta, can vote on a referendum to fund $8.5 billion in transportation improvements across metro Atlanta through a regional 1 percent sales tax.

The list of projects to be built with the revenue was created in 2011 with input from more than 200,000 regional residents. The list is available at www.metroatlantatransportationvote.com.

The complete schedule of chats is listed below.

June 4, 6:15 p.m. - City of Atlanta (Councilmember Willis)

June 4, 7:30 p.m. - Henry County (Chairman Mathis and Mayor Copeland)

June 5, 6:15 p.m. - Douglas County (Chairman Worthan and Mayor Persons)

June 5, 7:30 p.m. - Fayette County (with Mayor Dial)

June 6, 6:15 p.m. - North Fulton County (Mayor Bodker)

June 6, 7:30 p.m. - Cobb County (Chairman Lee and Mayor Mathews)

June 7, 6:15 p.m. - Gwinnett County (Chairman Nash and Mayor Johnson)

June 7, 7:30 p.m. - Rockdale County (Chairman Oden and Mayor Mills)

June 13, 6:15 p.m. - Cherokee County (Chairman Ahrens and Mayor Henriques)

June 13, 7:30 p.m. - DeKalb County (CEO Ellis and Mayor Floyd)

June 14, 6:15 p.m. - South Fulton County (Chairman Eaves and Mayor Boddie)

June 14, 7:30 p.m. - Clayton County (Chairman Bell)