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MARIETTA — Most Republican elected officials who represent Cobb County say they intend to vote no
on July 31 to the question of raising the sales tax for 10 years to pay for transportation projects.
County Chairman Tim Lee, who helped pick the projects Cobb would receive if the tax passes, refused to say how he will vote.
Referring to himself in the third person, Lee said, “Chairman Lee felt that his vote, how he voted was one he didn’t want to share, but he supports the referendum and the people’s choice to decide their future.”
For the most part, Democrats in Cobb said they would be voting for the tax although some, like state Rep. David Wilkerson (D-Austell), remain undecided.
State Rep. Stacey Evans (D-Smyrna) said she will be voting yes.
“Traffic in metro Atlanta is out of control,” Evans said, echoing the ad campaign promoting the tax hike. “There is no Plan B. We’re drowning in traffic and our competitor cities know it, and the only way we can move forward and continue to be a world-class city is if we pass this and show that we’re serious about fixing our traffic problems.”
Yet lawmakers such as state Rep. Ed Setzler (R-Acworth), chairman of the Cobb Legislative Delegation, argue there is indeed a “Plan B” outlined in the legislation, and that is simply to vote down the current referendum, come up with a better list of road improvements and approve it in two years.
Lawmakers such as state Rep. Don Parsons (R-east Cobb) dismiss the argument that simply because they voted for the legislation to allow for the referendum back in 2010, they have to vote for the project list on July 31 as well.
“We set up a mechanism for the regions to come up with project lists to present to the voters,” Parsons said. “That’s what they’ve done, and we didn’t have anything to do with the project list. I did not put that project list together. I didn’t have any input into the project list, and you know, it’s not my project list, so therefore there are certain problems with it, and there are certain things I’d like to see that are not there, certain things on there I’d like to see changed, so therefore I’m going to cast a no vote.”
State Rep. Sharon Cooper (R-east Cobb), who remains undecided, said she’s tired of the rhetoric on both sides.
“I do have serious reservations about a couple of the high-cost items included in Cobb’s list by Commissioner Lee and Mayor Mathews,” Cooper said. “I am outright angered by the consultant, and anyone else, who says that people’s opposition is due to racism.”
At the same time, Cooper said it’s overly optimistic to believe that the state legislature can pass another, more acceptable, plan anytime soon.
Cobb’s five commissioners are split on the vote.
Republican commissioners Bob Ott and JoAnn Birrell say they plan to vote no, Lee and Helen Goreham, also Republicans, won’t reveal how they’re voting, while Commissioner Woody Thompson, a Democrat, didn’t return calls on the question.
Birrell said she wasn’t telling anyone how to vote, but for her, she will be voting no.
“I’m not in favor of another tax,” Birell said.
Like the commissioners, the mayors of Cobb’s six cities are split, with Austell Mayor Joe Jerkins opposed to the tax; Acworth Mayor Tommy Allegood, Kennesaw Mayor Mark Mathews and Smyrna Mayor Max Bacon planning to vote in favor; and Marietta Mayor Steve Tumlin and Powder Springs Mayor Pat Vaughn saying they are undecided.
“I’m undecided because I don’t think it hits a home run in Marietta, but overall does it, and that’s what I won’t take up until the 31st,” Tumlin said on Friday.
Jerkins said his decision is clear.
“I’m going to vote against it because they won’t do what they say they’re going to do with it anyway,” the Austell mayor said. “That’s what I don’t like about it, plus the part where the counties and the cities just get 15 percent, that’s not right either. It should be divided halfway, the way I look at it.”
The tax would collect $7.2 billion in the 10 county metro area. Of that amount, $6.14 billion worth of projects were chosen by the Atlanta Regional Roundtable. The remaining 15 percent or $1.1 billion would be chosen at the local level.
Cobb’s portion of the 85 percent is $984 million and Cobb’s portion of the 15 percent is $178 million.
Factoring in inflation, the total collection for the 10 county area rises to $8.5 billion, Atlanta Regional Commission spokesman Jim Jaquish said.
In the U.S. Senate, Saxby Chambliss (R-Moultrie) and Johnny Isakson (R-east Cobb) both say they will vote for the TSPLOST.
In the U.S. House, Tom Price (R-Roswell) says he is undecided, while a spokesman for U.S. Rep. David Scott (D-South Cobb) said on Friday Scott is voting for the tax.
Jen Talaber, spokeswoman for U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-Marietta), sent the following email Friday.
“Rep. Gingrey respects the will of the voters, and believes that they are the ones who should determine the fate of their communities — not politicians. As a federal official, he remains focused on the issues in front of the United States Congress. The congressman trusts the ability of our citizens to evaluate their community’s infrastructure needs, economic development potential and traffic congestion.”
Read more: The Marietta Daily Journal - Most Cobb GOP officials standing against TSPLOST
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Many don't know they have a problem, many in denial.
Many want to keep all the heroin for themselves.
There are many friends and family members that are enablers.
They want to continue giving these addicts money for their habit.
Many people will be hurt by the addicted persons wreckless behavior, lies & deception for many years to come.
They have seen the mood of the public (particularly Republicans and fiscal conservatives) and are afraid to publicly state their position because they are afraid of how their constituents will react.
As for me
Any politician who represents me who has not stated that they are voting against the TSPLOST will not get my vote the next time their office comes up for a vote.
Thanks for clarifying, everyone was REALLY concerned where you were on that subject.
and construct more toll roads.
This is a blatant attempt to enable voters to make uninformed decisions.
If you think the MDJ is trying to brainwash uninformed voters by simply reporting the position of their elected officials on the TSPLOST issue;
then what must you think about the misinformation, half truths, gross exaggerations and lies that the AJC, MAVEN, ARC, Citizens for Transportation Mobility and the other pro TSPLOST groups have been spreading around for months now?
I guess the MDJ could have stooped to the insulting name calling and character bashing that Tim Lee, Michael Paris, Chris Leiberger and other TSPLOST zealots have been hurling at those who dare oppose their tax scam.
You know stuff like: racists, bigots, half witted, illogical, anti progress, anti job etc. etc. etc.
Knowledge IS good, but if you want to make fully informed and responsible decisions you should also try using a healthy dose of good ol' common sense.
It clears out the hysteria that the pro TSPLOST propaganda has purposely created.
The TSPLOST is not a good plan for addressing our transportation issues.
That is the conclusion you come to when you use knowledge AND common sense
Common sense dictates we should step back and revisit the issue rather than let the special interests and ambitious politicians take advantage of the situation for their own selfish reasons.
You know Tim Leebama is going to vote yes. He has never seen a tax increase he didn't like.
His ridiculous third person non answer was approved by his handlers at the Cobb Chamber, because they know if he comes right out and says he is voting YES that will just make his re-election that much harder.
Most Cobb Republicans have seen the TSPLOST for what it is and thankfully are voting against it.
Good for Birrell (my commissioner) and Good for Ott .
Goreham is a well known tax lover and Woody Thompson is going to vote yes because his brother democratic State Senator Steve Thompson is telling him what to do and because the democrats in South Cobb won't like it if he votes against it.
Unless she comes out before the 31st with a definitive NO, I will be voting against my current representative Cooper for her wishy washy stance
I will be voting against Isakson and Chambliss next go around.
All the Democrats, including David Scott, are in Kasim Reed's pocket so what else do you expect from them?
Mayor's Allegood, Mathews and Bacon are all Chamber shills so their yes votes are no surprise.
Tumlin has some sense so I think, I hope he will vote no.
In any event this whole issue has been very revealing, particularly when it comes to identifying the RINO's in our midst.
For all of you voting NO remember to get to the polls on or before the 31st.
For those of you voting YES just remember to vote on August 1st!!!
I will be voting against Isakson and Chambliss next go around. --
I second that! All of it.
No. we need funding for transportation projects that will reduce the grid lock and congestion...not transportation projects that give the developers more opportunities to build more congestion.
In the U.S. Senate, Saxby Chambliss (R-Moultrie) and Johnny Isakson (R-east Cobb) both say they will vote for the TSPLOST.
The mayor of Austell sounds like an ignorant goober.
To be honest, I had serious questions about that claim. Therefore, I up a letter to the MDJ (in September of 2011) that she references on the flyer - she is RIGHT.
Marsha Lake just won my vote. We need more elected to lead from the front and not the rear!
Very few of the 'leaders' cited in this article were willing to take their current stance a year ago.