Georgia Governor to address transportation funding issues in Athens

Georgia Goveor Nathan Deal is one of the guest speakers tomorrow, Tuesday, Dec. 9, at the 2014 Transportation Summit in Athens, Georgia. The goveor is expected to address the subject of transportation funding, one of the major issues for the Georgia Legislature in the upcoming 2015 session.    

Georgia, with the 10^th largest highway system in the nation, gets majority of its transportation funding from the Federal govement - the Highway Trust Fund.  In the recent years, however, the Highway Trust Fund has run into serious problems approaching insolvency. This situation puts more pressure on states to assume the financial responsibility for their local transportation needs.

Transportation infrastructure also gets revenue from the state through motor fuel sales tax, bonds, or tolls. Regional funding helps MARTA stay in business by collecting 1 percent sales tax in counties it services.  Local funding, such as the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST), is also used to collect 1 percent sales tax in areas where it is approved by voters in a referendum.   Georgia's MARTA is the only transit in a major U.S. city that does not receive any state funding.

Recently, the Peach State lawmakers suggested increasing fees on car owners, directing all of the motor fuel sales taxes to transportation, increasing the motor fuel sales tax, and regional and local sales tax increases. According to the Atlanta Joual-Constitution (AJC), Deal views all of the options as a possibility.

"The comment I’ve heard that is most appropriate is that everything should be on the table," Deal told the AJC on Monday. "We should be looking at everything. I think there is a common coming-together of an understanding now that we do need additional revenue to complete and begin some of the transportation projects that are going to keep our state competitive.

Aside from the goveor, guest speakers at the Athens forum include: Lt. Goveor Casey Cagle;  Steve Gooch, Georgia State Senator & Chair, Joint Legislative Transportation Committee;  Jay Roberts, Georgia State Representative & Chair, Joint Legislative Transportation Committee; and Keith Golden, Commissioner, Georgia Department of Transportation.