$140 Million annually in new taxes to save $12 Million annual cost for Cobb County Transit (CCT)

Date: Monday, March 12th
Time: 1:30pm
Location: Commissioners Meeting Room, 100 Cherokee Street, Marietta, GA

This is driven by bill SB386 in the Georgia State Legislature that's already passed the Senate and has been favorably reported by the House Transportation Committee.  The bill provides for the imposition of a transit special purpose local option sales and use tax for a 30 year period to be voted on by referendum. It creates 159 special districts (i.e. 159 Georgia counties) and a new governance authority entitled "Atlanta-region Transit Link "ATL" Commission" which consists of numerous appointed positions that are not accountable to the people. The commission will have sole authority to determine expenditure of federal funds for transit purposes within the jurisdiction of the authority.  Even if you don't live in Cobb County, this bill impacts every county in the state and every taxpayer.

The following is a message from Ron Sifen, a citizen activist that has been following Cobb County transportation issues for a number of years.

Monday March 12 at 1:30 pm, so that they, and the public can discuss the transit legislation that is working through the State Legislature.  Is it good for Cobb, bad for Cobb, or a taxpayer ripoff?

The Legislature is working on creating a 13-county transit region, merging all transit into one regional transit system, and putting a one-cent sales tax on the ballot in each county to pay for transit.
 
Right now, Cobb's bus system has a net cost to the county of about $12 million annually.  The sales tax would raise $140 million annually.  Cobb could get rid of a $12 million item in the General Fund.  Hmmmm.  $140 million in taxes annually to cover a $12 million expense.
 
The excess is supposed to go toward building rail transit to connect the Cumberland area to MARTA, and possibly extending up Cobb Parkway.  It will spend billions of dollars for transit in one corridor.  It will reduce trip times for transit riders.  It will not reduce trip times for other commuters in the corridor, nor anywhere elsewhere in Cobb County.
 
The previous transit proposal, Connect Cobb BRT was so bad that the Environmental Analysis study admitted that if Bus Rapid Transit on Cobb Parkway got built as proposed, it would make future traffic congestion worse than if we did nothing.
 
The proposed legislation is not focused on improving overall mobility.  It is 100% about economic development and attracting Amazon.  Cobb taxpayers will pay more than $4 billion in new taxes over the next 30 years, and will get zero benefit for their money.
 
Cobb would be better served if Cobb were allowed to put together a general transportation projects list, that would include transit, but would invest in comprehensively improving mobility throughout Cobb.
 
The March 12 public hearing will be held at 1:30 pm
Commissioners Meeting Room
100 Cherokee Street
Marietta GA
 
Developers and other special interests are planning a large turnout.  Taxpayers and commuters should attend this public hearing to recommend against the proposed legislation (HB 930 and SB 378) as currently written.
 
If you cannot attend, you can send emails to
mike.boyce@cobbcounty.org
bob.weatherford@cobbcounty.org
bob.ott@cobbcounty.org
joann.birrell@cobbcounty.org
lisa.cupid@cobbcounty.org
robert.hosack@cobbcounty.org
transitbillcomments@cobbcounty.org
 
Thanks
Ron Sifen