Terry Lawler spoke on Friday to a crowd of about 25 local business leaders during the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce’s quarterly regional issues forum conducted at the Woodstock Community Center.
Lawler said two bills, one from Gov. Sonny Perdue and one from the Democratic leadership at the state Capitol, propose a regional sales tax for transportation projects in special districts throughout the state.
Lawler said the governor’s bill, which has not yet been formally introduced, would have the planning director of the Department of Transportation deciding the priority of projects. The Democrat legislators’ bill, which has been introduced, would have the decision-making on projects tilted more to a “bottom-up” method, where priority is determined by county and city government leaders and residents.
Lawler encouraged those in attendance at the forum to push for the bottom-up method and told them to speak with their state legislators. He said Cherokee now is the “power county,” following Cobb County in the 1990s and Gwinnett County in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
“Cherokee has an incredible opportunity to shape things the way they want at the legislature,” Lawler said. “Cherokee can have a tremendous impact on how the bill will be passed.”
State Rep. Charlice Byrd (R-Woodstock) said Cherokee’s delegation is small compared to other metro area counties, but Cherokee has people in important places. They include Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers (R-Woodstock) and state Rep. Mark Hamilton (R-Cumming), who represents portions of Cherokee and Forsyth, and serves on the transportation committee.
“Chip is in an incredible position,” she said, adding a legislator is a neighboring county also is keenly aware of transportation issues here. “The speaker (Rep. David Ralston) drives this way every day.”
Hamilton said Cherokee is being led by people with an interest in shaping transportation legislation.
“All of us are committed to finding short-term and long-term solutions to transportation funding,” he said.
Mark Goddard, chairman of the chamber of commerce, said he likes the idea of the bottom-up method supported by Lawler.
“It is always better to have input from local people,” he said.
Jonathan Warner, director of economic development for Chattahoochee Technical College, attended the forum.
He said local residents and businesses “need to have a strong voice,” on the issue. That voice, he said, could lead to better access to Interstates 75 and 85 and more businesses locating in the county.
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