Politics & Government

Gov. Deal: Reprioritize Projects

"We'll have a 'need to do' Transportation Improvement Program list, but not a 'want to do' list."

In a statement issued Wednesday, Aug. 1, Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal said the state and local leaders will have to repriortize transportation projects after a one-cent sales tax increase to fund improvements mostly failed to pass.

“We’ll have a ‘need to do’ Transportation Improvement Program list, but not a ‘want to do’ list. In addition to tight state budgets, we’re also facing a significant reduction in federal funds so tough choices await,” Deal said.

The governor reiterated his commitment to working on improving transportation in Georgia using existing resources.

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“The voters of Georgia have spoken, and I will continue to do what I have done since I became governor: Work in consultation with state transportation leaders, legislators and local officials to establish our priority projects.”

“There will be belt-tightening,” the governor continued. “It’s certainly disappointing that we won’t have the resources to accomplish all the projects needed to get Georgians moving quicker, but it does force state officials, including myself, to focus all our attention on our most pressing needs.

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“For example,” Deal said, “TSPLOST contained $600 million to rebuild the Ga. 400/I-285 interchange. We will face significant challenges in that corridor if that doesn’t get fixed, particularly after the tolls come down and volume increases.”

Tuesday’s vote against TSPLOST “slams the door on further expansion of our rail network any time soon,” the governor said. “Neither I nor the legislature has much of an appetite for new investments until there are significant reforms in how MARTA operates.”

Deal predicted the three regions where the referendum passed will see great returns on their investment. “Under the law, these regions will also receive a 90 percent match for local transportation projects, meaning they will only have to put up 10 percent from local funds. The law requires a 70-30 split in the regions that didn’t pass it.”

The three regions that passed TSPLOST were the Heart of Georgia Altamaha Region, River Valley Region, and Central Savannah River Region. It failed in the 10-county metro Atlanta region that included Gwinnett County.

“As governor, I aim to make Georgia the No. 1 place in the nation to do business, and improving our transportation infrastructure is a major part of that effort,” Deal said. Tuesday’s vote “wasn’t an end of the discussion; it’s a transition point.”

“We have much to do, and I’ll work with state and local officials to direct our limited resources to the most important projects.”

What do you think of the governor's statement? Tell us in the comments.


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