Georgia County Government-August 2008

Transportation 2008 Georgia’s Transportation More Critical to Counties than Ever the work of the commissioners. They adjourned at the end of the second day, committed to jointly supporting legislation in the next session of the Georgia General Assembly to create a State Highway Commission. Ninety-four years later, county commissioners remain key partners with the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) and supporters of the state’s evolving transportation system. Transportation challenges continue to face Georgia to this day. Since 2000, Georgia ranks as the third-fastest-growing state By Matthew Hicks, Associate Legislative Director for Economic Development & Transportation, ACCG Georgia (ACCG) since the association’s beginnings. Newspaper articles from 1914 describe the formation of ACCG. It happened during a meeting of 135 county commissioners in Atlanta on April 15 and 16 of that year. The purposes of the meeting were not only to create an association of county governments, but to advocate for the creation of a state highway department. During those two days, those commissioners heard from speakers about how to organize a highway department, the use of “convict labor” in building roads, road development in the South, and the construction and maintenance of concrete roads. Governor John M. Slaton addressed the crowd on “Good Roads as a State Asset” and encouraged 12 GEORGIA COUNTY GOVERNMENT T The General Assembly Last year, the House and Senate responded to the transportation funding crisis by forming a Joint Study Committee on Transportation Funding cochaired by Sen. Jeff Mullis (R-53) and Rep. Vance Smith (R-129), respective Senate and House Transportation Committee chairs. Made up of eight legislators, the committee traveled throughout Georgia to study the need, identify potential alternative funding sources and develop recommendations. At the start of this year’s legislative session, the committee released ransportation concerns have been at the forefront of activ ities w it hin Association County Commissioners of Governor Sonny Perdue, DOT Commissioner Gena Abraham and members of the DOT and GRTA boards at the IT3 Transportation Plan announcement . in population and houses four of the fastest-growing counties in the country. However, transportation funding is not keeping pace with this growth. In 2007, GDOT estimated a $7.7 billion shortfall over the next six years and a $74 billion gap through 2035. Encouragingly, leadership from all parts of Georgia and from all sectors (public, private and nonprofit) have recognized the need for action to shore up the resources necessary for our transportation infrastructure and ensure a responsive, accountable and transparent system of delivery for the 21st century. 18 recommendations, and by session’s end passed resolutions or bills enacting 10 of them. The report and presentations delivered to the committee can be found online at www.gatransfunding.com. The most prominent legislation that came out of the study committee was Senate Resolution 845 (SR 845), which would have enabled regions of the state to levy a 1-cent sales tax for transportation. While it passed the House, this proposed constitutional amendment failed by three votes in the Senate on the last night of session. However, its contents are still worth studying since legislative http://www.gatransfunding.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Georgia County Government-August 2008

Georgia County Government- August 2008 Contents President’s Message County Matters Georgia’s Transportation Issues More Critical to Counties than Ever Expanding Rural Airports: Partnering for Economic Development in Upson County Meet DOT Commissioner Gena Abraham Bridge Infrastructure and Risk Counties and the Law: Georgia’s Fair Employment Practices Act Georgia’s Grand Old Courthouses: Coffee County Extension News: Infrastructure Investments Save County Funds Research Corner: Getting the Most Out of Your Research Discover the New Georgia Encyclopedia NACo News Staff News County Parade Index of Advertisers

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