Voters to hear T-SPLOST closing arguments

The state’s General Primary Election is just one day away and the big draw on Tuesday will be the polarizing regional transportation sales tax vote.

Over the weekend, proponents and opponents of the 1-cent transportation sales tax referendum that would fund a variety of new transportation projects across Georgia were out in full force.

After enduring a furious campaign from both sides, voters within the 10-county Atlanta metropolitan area are set to decide whether to fund local and regional transportation projects through the referendum. An economist has estimated total revenues from the referendum to be $7.2 billion over the ten-year period.

This will be split into two separate funding sources: $6.1 billion (85 percent of the total) for regional projects selected by the Regional Transportation Roundtable in October 2011, and 15 percent allocated directly to counties and cities.

On Saturday at Centennial Olympic Park, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, U.S. Rep. John Lewis, City Councilman Kwanza Hall and other local leaders led a rally in advocating for the passing of the referendum. Reed is expected to join Gov. Nathan Deal at the state capitol Monday morning to support the Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (T-SPLOST).

State Sen. Vincent Fort of the 39th district represents SW Atlanta (plus more) and continued his vocal opposition to the T-SPLOST over the weekend by leading one of about two dozen teams in going door to door in south Fulton and south DeKalb counties in urging voters to say no to the referendum.

Others like state Senator, Nan Orrock of Distict 36, have come out in support of the T-SPLOST, and they are not alone. On Sunday, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s ediorial page backed the passing of the Transportation Investment Act. But plenty of others are not.

The newspaper’s poll, also released Sunday, indicated that 51 percent of voters across the metro region are against the T-SPLOST, with 42 percent for it and 7 percent undecided.

Other recently released polls also showed more in opposition than for, this despite an $8 million campaign from the pro-transportation referendum group  Untie Atlanta, a group funded by Citizens for Transportation Mobility. A WSB-TV/Stone Communications poll said that 55 percent of voters are against the measure and only 35 percent are for it. See here for more poll results.

Those in favor of the T-SPLOST have said their internal polling shows the referendum in a statistical tie and that early voting election data points to unlikely voters surging to the ballot box.

“This is an unprecedented election in Georgia’s history making it a very exciting race that non-traditional voters are turning out for,'' Dave Stockert, chairman of Citizens for Transportation Mobility, said in a statement. "The only poll that matters is on Election Day and we are more excited and enthusiastic than ever.”

If it does pass, the City of Atlanta has developed a list of projects that would be funded by the 15 percent allocation, an estimated $9.4 million per year for 10 years, totaling approximately $94 million. The initial list covers the first five years of the T-SPLOST and focuses on small neighborhood projects and other improvements. For more information on the project list or project list maps by NPU or Council District, see those attached or click here.

On Tuesday, voting precincts will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. Voters can log on here to look up their specific precinct, or call the Department of Registration and Elections at 404-612-7020.