From the Atlanta Business Chronicle:
Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle committed himself Monday to pushing for passage next year of transportation funding legislation that failed in the General Assembly this year.
Cagle endorsed a proposal championed by metro Atlanta business leaders to let Georgians vote by region whether to raise sales taxes by 1 percent to pay for needed highway and transit projects.
The measure fell short of passage by just three votes in the Senate on the last day of this year’s session. Its defeat hurt Cagle’s standing in the business community because, as lieutenant governor, he presides over the Senate.
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Nothing like a tax increase during an economic downturn. Thanks Casey. You do not have my vote in 2010.
Looks like Cagle is feeling the heat from the Chamber.
Remember when the Bush administration first introduced the “relief” buzzword as a device for selling tax cuts? Now even tax increases are sold as “relief”. I think it’s time to officially declare that buzzword as having jumped the shark. I could use some relief from relief.
And let’s not forget that it was Cagle who prevented tax cuts for Georgians coming up for a vote because it would “cost the government” money.
“…But the lieutenant governor urged the business community to have a largely agreed-upon plan before the Legislature convenes in January.”
Um, point of order.
I know it’s common knowledge that the business community is allowed to pretty much write any bill they want, but it’s a bit odd to admit it so bluntly. It’s usually important to keep the illusion that the legislature is actually writing the bills.
Face it. We’re broke. They are going to raise taxes one way or another, no matter how much we all kick and scream and no matter how wrong it may be.
Or you could start cutting waste inside GDOT. Everyone knows it’s a clusterf**k.
They aren’t spending the money they already in a wise fashion, are we stupid enough to give them more?
Cagle is a fraud anyway. Right now he is running these ad’s about government waste….his face all over the ads…his face all over the web site. COME ON GUYS, we are not morons!
who needs new roads…there is no gas!
casey cagle…the only guy who could possibly make one long for ralph reed.
blame me, i voted for casey.
Three Jack,
Wash your mouth out with soap. There’s room for improvement, yes. But I don’t see any casinos being built in Gainesville yet.
Casey: a day late and a dollar short. The leadership was needed last year. Try getting ahead of the curve, and not following.
Casey is in a very tough spot on this issue. Since it’s become so high profile, it’s difficult for him to play both sides (as he normally does on controversial issues.)
Save some trees and ease the congestion too.
(less money and less asphalt) Fire some government bureaucrats and get rid of the illegals.
GRTA can already do this without more Legislative action. Local governments can pass a resolution to allow GRTA to take over land transportation and tax us to pay for it.
Why pass more laws when current statute enables immediate action?
start reading here:
TITLE 50. STATE GOVERNMENT
CHAPTER 32. GEORGIA REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY
ARTICLE 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS
http://www.lexis-nexis.com/hottopics/gacode/default.asp
“…But the lieutenant governor urged the business community to have a largely agreed-upon plan before the Legislature convenes in January.”
Didn’t the business community had a couple of generally agreed-upon alternatives available to the legislature in January?
A general transportation sales tax that subsidizes transportation is inferior to a motor fuel tax that imposes transportation cost on road users.
A $10 transportation sales tax will be levied on a $1,000 5lb computer. A $1 tax will be levied on a $100 cubic yard load (two tons+) of concrete. Trucks near maximum weights drive pavement costs—a general sales imposes a $2 per pound tax on the computer and $0.00025 per pound on concrete.
Cagle shouldn’t stand a chance for Governor against a candidate that possesses leadership.
GRTA was only created becuase none of the GA regions could make decisins on the priority for projects. All of this is an issue of governance. Who is in change and who is accountable? NO ONE! That is the issue. What needs to happen is a new Board set up to head state transportation issues, air, port, freight, highways….that should not be held hostgage to a current elected administration, but some group with region influence and knowledge like the RDC headed by county commissions. GRTA should go away. Port authorties, airports, MARTA should focus on daily operatins, not planning, funding and construction, that should be ARCs, SRTA, GDot/
I’m sorry. This all overwhelms me sometimes.
I’m hit with taxes as much as the next guy. But our state needs billions of dollars of transportation infrastructure and we sit here and bash everybody that has the nerve to present an idea. Cagle threw out an idea…so take it, twist it, tweak it and let’s find a suitable option. Quit throwing bombs towards anybody that’s working on a solution.
Kudos to the Cagle for going with it and kudos in advance to anybody else under the Dome – House, Senate, or Guv – who has suggestions that improve it even further.
We have plenty of time for the Governor’s race and I’m sure all that will play out on these very pages. But as someone who wants to live out all his years in Georgia, I’m just looking for people who are making an honest effort to get something done.
Now let’s all shut up and get focused on the Alabama game.
Jason,
HUH? How is “allowing” for a region’s voters to DECIDE for themselves whether they want to have a regional transporation tax an immediate “raising taxes” action?
It’s not, Mr. Libertarian-is-the-greatest-of-all-political-religions.
It’s actually allowing the people to choose by themselves. But, maybe I have my Libertarian Manifesto mixed-up with the Whine-of-The-Week-About-Nothing.
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