Group Urges Lawmakers to Fix Transportation Before Time Runs Out

Local governments leaders, businesses owners and environmentalists all came together Monday in Atlanta, urging lawmakers to cross the finish line and pass some kind of transportation reform.

The Get Georgia Moving coalition is a group of about 100 businesses and local governments from across the state. Members of the group came to the Capitol to try and push legislators to fix the state's crumbling transportation network before time runs out in the session. Lawmakers only have two more days left.

House and Senate leaders are still at odds over how to govern and fund the transportation overhaul. House lawmakers are pushing for a statewide penny sales tax while Senate leaders prefer a regional approach to funding. And Governor Sonny Perdue's plan to create a new state agency to oversee transportation projects appears to be fading.

Doug Hertz is co-chair of Get Georgia Moving coalition. He says it doesn't matter which plan passes. His group just wants both sides to come to some type of an agreement - and fast.

"We're on the one yard line. We have got to cross the finish line. We've got only a couple more days left to get that done."

The last day of the session is scheduled to be Friday.

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House Committee Rejects Gov. Perdue's Transportation Plan

The House Transportation Committee today said "no" to a plan unveiled earlier this year by Governor Sonny Perdue for remaking transportation in Georgia.

When the Governor introduced Senate Bill 200, he said he wanted to dismantle the Georgia Department of Transportation, create a new state agency, realign transportation construction responsibilities and fold the DOT into the appropriations process.

The much leaner plan approved by the committee today does only the last. It ensures the DOT, like every other state agency, must face the General Assemby when budget time rolls around. But the bill, among other things, keeps the existing DOT in place as lead transportation construction agency and keeps GRTA and SERTA operating.

Republican Representative David Ralston describes the measure approved today as a balance between the two legislative bodies.

"I think what it does is allow us to reach a compromise on a bill we can get passed. And it still retains the ability for the General Assembly to appropriate funds."

In previous committee meetings, some House members expressed concern that the original bill stripped the General Assembly of its power to elect board members.

But amendments made today keep that procedure in place.

"There was some concern amongst some members about doing that, I think. And some people were a little reluctant to do that and create a new authority and create a board having that relationship," says Ralston.

The measure will make its way back to the Senate where members will likely disagree with the changes. That will force the bill into a conference committee, where lawmakers from both chambers will try to hash out their differences.

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