But, everyday, like most east Cobbers, I get up and head to work and sit in traffic. Bad traffic. Like most of us, I don’t have the luxury of working at home or even close to home. Johnson Ferry Road, Roswell Road, Interstates 75 and 285, Windy Hill or Ga. 400, it’s all the same. Where ever your route takes you to get to your workplace, we waste gas and money, but most of all we are forced to take time away from our families.
It’s time for a change, a bold change, and I believe that the Regional Transportation Referendum on July 31st gives us the best opportunity we will have in my lifetime to begin to solve our congestion problem.
Is it instant gratification?
No.
Does it solve every problem?
No.
Does it address major bottlenecks and pressure points?
Yes.
Does it show leadership and vision and set the future course for our children and grandchildren?
Yes.
I would like my kids to stay in Atlanta, in Cobb, and enjoy economic success and the quality of life the way we have. But without investing in transportation options, we severely limit our ability to provide a strong economic base and job opportunities.
Our wonderful lifestyle in Cobb is due to our forward-thinking predecessors like Ernest Barrett, who understood the necessity of building infrastructure in our county and connecting to the rest of the region, so we could grow and compete. This commitment did not come for free; it came with the guts and fortitude to do the right thing.
We are now faced with a turning point for Cobb’s future. We can sit back, do nothing and naively believe we can continue without investing in our future. Or, we can do the right thing like those that came before us. Invest in our family’s future the same way that we do by investing in our homes, college education and retirement.
I have a lot of faith in Cobb. I know it from one end to the other.
Taking a stand now, committing now, resisting the negativism and focusing on the positive by supporting the referendum is what is right for my family.
I believe that logical-thinking Cobb residents who believe we have many good years ahead will agree.
Michael Paris is a native Cobb Countian and was born at Kennestone Hospital. He and his wife Kim have raised and educated two children in Cobb and have resided in their current east Cobb home for over 20 years. Michael is the President and CEO of the Council for Quality Growth.
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With such articulate and convincing spokesmen like you and Tim Lee stumping for this TSPLOST it's no wonder that the opposition seems to be growing each and every day.
My advice is to lock yourself in a closet and keep your opinions to yourself until after the referendum.
Even if they won't say it I am pretty sure that's what your 'handlers" and fellow TSPLOST supporters are hoping for?
Even better: traffic's an indication that there is a sustainable number of people that can live in one area; too much traffic = too many people.
If you run a large company and are thinking of putting 500, 1000, or even more jobs in the area, would you do it full well knowing most of your employees are going to sit in 90 minutes of traffic each way?
Living closer to where you work isn't the issue. We should be able to live where we want and still have a reasonable way of getting to and from work each day.
You can live where you want to right now, but if that's far from your job, you get to pay the price of traffic!
How can there be so many fine folks in Cobb,.. yet no choices come election time!
Very depressing, I'll say!
I replied & for some reason, my comment did not appear.
I would love to sit down & discuss w/ you.
Who are you & how do I contact you?
thank-you.
On May 25, 1961, President John F. Kennedy announced before a special joint session of Congress the dramatic and ambitious goal of sending an American safely to the Moon before the end of the decade. As dramatic and ambitious as this goal was it was "Credible" because much consideration and planning preceded the public announcement. In other words, they understood the cost, the technical effort and the human effort.. they had a plan. On July 20, 1969 the plan game together and President Kennedy's vision and mission was achieved.
Fixing the traffic problems in metro Atlanta is a dramatic and ambitious goal. Traffic congestion in Atlanta is not new, it has been with us since the 1960s. Like going to the moon, fixing metro Atlanta's traffic problem requires much consideration and planning. TSPLOST is not a plan, its a tax. TSPLOST is not a "Credible" plan to fix metro Atlanta's traffic.
Moving forward, if the Roundtable generates a new list that *actually* addresses Metro Atlanta's traffic nightmare and the General Assembly moves the vote to the general election, will TSPLOST v2.0 pass?
I do not think it is logical to expect the Belt Line project in Atlanta, the train to Cumberland or the Special Premium Express bus service from Acworth to the Atlanta CBD, to help you in your commute.
I think your opinion piece is not logical.
tax so an additional one per cent represents a tax
increase of seventeen per cent (16 2/3% rounded).
I'm voting NO.
Have you looked at the amount of money MARTA costs to run and the amount of money that MARTA brings in -
The shortfall that falls on the taxpayers is over $500 million for dekalb and fulton. I'm not willing to join that boondoggle.
As a very logical person who has researched this tax - I am going to vote NO!