Georgia County Government - September 2008 - (Page 32)

FINANCING continued from page 31 Innovative solutions for the future will have many hurdles to overcome such as the impact on the motor fuel tax as the amount of alternatively fueled vehicles continues to rise. Oregon, which has been on the forefront for testing the mileage based user fee, completed the Road User Fee Pilot Program in 2007 to determine the feasibility of using the mechanism as an alternative to motor fuel taxes. Oregon DOT developed and implemented a mileage-based collection concept in which GPS devices tracked the distances the cars traveled and the drivers were charged accordingly. Although the program provided many advantages, technological and institutional issues were identified that will need to be addressed before a mileage based charge could be implemented at the state level such as reduced rates for fuel-efficient cars. Other long-term solutions currently being researched in other states include weight distance taxes, time-of-day charges and user-based fees. Although no long-term solutions have been adopted at the federal or state levels, it is critical for federal and state agencies to 373759_HNTB.indd 1 3/31/08 8:46:26 PM continue to identify solutions to address transportation needs in the future. To position Georgia to accommodate the transportation needs of its current and future citizens and businesses, Governor Perdue has established a partnership with the State Transportation Board and General Assembly. Called “Investing in Tomorrow’s Transportation Today,” or “IT3,” this effort will create an outcome-focused, results-based business case for investing in improvements to Georgia’s transportation network. Through the end of 2008, goals and strategies will be developed and policies will be adopted. Broad-gauge scenarios will be tested and ballpark figures Counties in metro Atlanta now have some of Georgia’s best sideof the cost of achieving the goals will be walk ordinances. Too bad they waited until their land was 80 percent assessed. Then, sustainable and equideveloped before enacting them. The Atlanta region has paid a table resource options can be identified hefty price in pedestrian fatalities and injuries and is now spending for implementing projects that meet the hundreds of millions to retrofit sidewalks. Get agreed-upon transportation goals, while smart and ahead of the curve—plan and require also aiming to leverage existing revenues. With the governor’s leadership and the pedestrian infrastructure first. continued partnership with stakeholdFor information on model sidewalk ordinances, ers, the goal of providing a robust transcontact 404-522-3666 or walkthere@peds.org portation network for the 21st century can be achieved in Georgia. ■ Require sidewalks now or foot the bill later 32 GEORGIA 361335_Georgia.indd 1 COUNTY GOVERNMENT 12/14/07 8:39:04 PM http://www.hntb.com

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

Georgia County Government - September 2008 Contents President’s Message County Matters Cobb County: Quality of Life is Job No. 1 Innovative Transportation Financing in Georgia Drive Your Fleet into the Next Generation of Efficiency, Profits Spotlight: Georgia Technology Authority Media Productions GEMA News: Hurricane Season Could Cause Natural Gas Spike GDEcD News: Communities Receive Funds to Develop Tourism Assets Georgia’s Grand Old Courthouses: Upson County Extension News: Radon: Georgia’s Silent Danger Research Corner: Conserving Fuel Costs in Your County Staff News County Parade Index of Advertisers

Georgia County Government - September 2008

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