Austell-based Cobb Taxpayers Association Encourages Participation in Cobb T-SPLOST Phone Meetings

More than 170,000 Cobb County residents will find Cobb Commission Chairman Tim Lee and Kennesaw Mayor Mark Mathews on the end of the line during a Tuesday night phone call discussing possible transportation projects for the area, including a 

Cobb residents will be called at random on Tuesday through an automated system to participate in the one-hour forum, which starts at 7:15 p.m., according to a release from the Atlanta Regional Commission.

Participants who stay on the line will be able to ask questions and share input with Lee and Mathews about their transportation wants and needs and projects that could be funded if a penny sales tax referendum passes next summer.

The regional sales tax –  – stems from the Georgia Transportation Investment Act of 2010, which enabled 12 regions across the state to collect funding for transportation projects. If passed, the tax is estimated to generate about $10 billion over the next 10 years.

The referendum goes on the ballot in July of 2012.

“Mayor Mathews and I look forward to speaking with potentially thousands of our friends and neighbors at one time,” said Lee. “Our goal is to learn what regional and local projects will help Cobb residents most.”

Mathews, who represents Cobb County mayors on the 21-person Atlanta Regional Transportation Roundtable, discussed the possibility of a light rail system during a  last month.

“It’s a very complicated and big issue,” said Mathews. “There are all kinds of penalties in place if we turn it down, but the state’s saying ‘let the voters decide,’ and I agree with that. I think the voters need to decide, but I think the hardest task is going to be educating the voters to make sure they know what they’re voting for.”

 at the Cobb Galleria Centre to discuss the proposed Metro Atlanta Northern Crescent Transit, which would connect existing MARTA rail lines and extend into Cobb, north Fulton and Gwinnett counties.

A 2008 survey conducted by McKinsey & Company found that by investing $26 billion to $46 billion in transportation infrastructure, Georgia could increase its gross domestic product by $114 billion and create 230,000 jobs over the next 20 years.

“As (Atlanta Mayor) Kasim Reed said, this is the biggest public works project we have ever considered in the state of Georgia,” said Tad Leithead, chairman of the Atlanta Regional Commission. “The Olympics was $1.8 billion in economic impact. This is three times that at least.”

Tuesday's call with Cobb residents is part of a series of telephone meetings that will reach out to more than 1 million residents across the 10-county Atlanta region over the course of six days.

The Cobb Taxpayers Association, one of the largest opponents of the recently passed county SPLOST renewal, are urging members to make their voices heard during these telephone meetings.

The Austell-based organization sent an action alert via email to its more than 100 members on Sunday night. In a recent e-newsletter from the organization, it was stated that the proposed light rail system "will be a disaster for Cobb taxpayers, and CTA will be out front in opposition."

The organization is working with the California-based The Reason Foundation to develop traffic congestion solutions that will not result in a tax increase.

To participate:

• Dial 1-888-886-6603 just prior to 7:15 pm.
• Enter 16720 when asked for a PIN.
• Be prepared with a question for Lee and/or Mathews.

Residents who do not receive a call but wish to participate in the town hall meeting  are asked to call a toll-free number that will be posted at  http://www.atlantaregionalroundtable.com/meetings.html.