With less than six hours to go until midnight, the Mexican standoff between the House and the Senate over transportation continues.
The main sticking point between the two legislative bodies is whether to use a statewide funding system or a regional one. The Senate supports the regional approach while the House supports the statewide plan.
Lt. Governor Casey Cagle recessed the Senate until 6:30PM and urged the Senators to lobby their representatives to vote in favor of transportation reform in Georgia.
“Today, we have put forth more proposals,” Cagle said earlier. “The conference committee has not acted.”
The Lt. Governor’s comments mirror those of Senate Transportation Committee Chair Jeff Mullis (R – Chickamauga) who, this morning, expressed frustration at the lack of progress in the conference committee for House Bill 277.
State Senator Kasim Reed (D – Atlanta), one of three Senate members on the committee, said the upper chamber had put forth three proposals and moved in direction of the House position. Still, Reed said, the House has done nothing.
“The regional plan is the most popular [transportation funding] method to the public,” Reed stated.
The Atlanta Democrat also suggested that the statewide plan supported by the House might be unconstitutional as it automatically implements the regional plan if voters reject the statewide one.
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More money being thrown at the transportation problems will not solve anything. A new approach is needed. Come up with the plan first. Methods of funding should only be considered after we know what the plan is and that the plan has been approved. Just like education, more centralized government influence and increase in spending has never solved any problems. It just creates more of what we currently have. Instead of fixing congestion, we’ll just have more congestion.
Here’s the plan that will work: If you were born in an even-numbered year, you drive on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and find other ways to travel on the other days.
If you were born in an odd-numbered year, you drive on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday only.
Everyone MUST refrain from driving on Sunday.
Everyone MUST refrain from driving on Sunday.
Execpt for Sunday alcohol sale delivery services.
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