In an attempt to raise additional funds for much-needed transportation improvements throughout Georgia, the Georgia House of Representatives has created House Bill (HB 434 as follows...

"To amend Title 48 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to revenue and taxation, so as to provide for a regional sales and use tax for transportation; to provide for definitions; to provide for the levy and collection of such tax; to provide for procedures, conditions, and limitations; to provide for expenditure of proceeds; to provide for collection and administration; to provide for powers, duties, and authority of the state revenue commissioner; to amend Part 1 of Article 2 of Chapter 10 of Title 32 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the Georgia State Road and Tollway Authority, so as to provide for a Georgia Regional Transportation Fund to finance transportation projects; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes." (Source: Georgia General Assembly)

For a full text of the proposed bill, please click here.

According to news I have received, 16 chambers of commerce, including 14 metro area chambers and those of Brunswick-Golden Isles and Augusta, have endorsed House Bill 434. The Georgia Chamber of Commerce has endorsed this bill as well.

Currently, the General Assembly is in a two-week recess awaiting word of any federal funding for the troubled PeachCare (low income children's health insurance) program. When the General Assembly reconvenes, there is hope that HB 434 will pass the House and make it to the State Senate in time to be considered by the end of the current session.

My take on this is that I don't mind paying an extra penny of sales tax so long as the money does go toward helping us here in the Metro Atlanta area fix the roads and upgrade them accordingly. However, as I have blogged about in the past, the leaders need to reign in developers and not just allow them to put more and more subdivisions, shopping centers, etc., into areas without giving consideration to the potential impact on the infrastructure such as roads, water, and sewer.

If you have any thoughts on HB 434, then please feel free to share them.

BTW, this past Friday morning, another victim of the tragic HOV bus crash, Bluffton University baseball player Zachary Arend, 18, died at Grady Memorial Hospital. Again, our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. Please click here to read the AJC article. Frankly, I think that the Georgia DOT should close that ramp altogether until something can be done to improve the safety and reduce the likelihood of another such tragedy occurring. In fact, I would go farther and close all HOV left-hand exits.

That's all for now. Thanks for reading, please tell all your friends about us, and please come back often.