New Grassroots Coalition Plans to Oppose TSPLOST

Transportation  Leadership  Coalition,  LLC,  recently launched a grassroots campaign  to  inform  voters  of  the  truth  about  the   proposed regional transportation  sales  tax  (TSPLOST).

Approximately  75  grassroots  activists  representing  several organizations, along  with  elected  officials  who  opposed  the  1 percent transportation sales tax,  gathered  at   Adventure  Outdoors  in  Marietta  to  educate  themselves  on  the  proposed 1 percent  sales  tax  statewide  referendum.

“We  put  out  the  invitation  to  various  grassroots  organizers  to  meet  under  one  roof   and  learn  more  about  this  tax. We  were  very  pleased  with  the  response  from  across   the  state  as  far  south  as  Valdosta,”  said  Jack  Staver,  chairman  of  the Transportation   Leadership  Coalition.      

The  result  of  this  meeting  was  a  coordinated  effort  to  oppose  the  sales  tax  that  is   touted  to  alleviate  traffic  congestion  in  the  metro  Atlanta  area.  From  this  meeting   and  subsequent  meetings  and  conversations,  the  Transportation  Leadership   Coalition,  LLC  (TLC)  was  formed. 

The  focus  of  TLC  is  to  educate  the  public  on  the  claims  of  MAVEN  (Metro  Atlanta   Voter  Education  Network),  a  pro-­sales  tax  advocacy  group,  and  Untie  Atlanta   (Citizens  for  Transportation  Mobility),  David  Stockert,  chairman,  who  is  also  CEO  of   Post  Properties.  The  primary  education  vehicle  for  TLC  will  be  its  website,   TrafficTruth.net,  as  well  as  e-mail  and  social  media.      

Some  of  the  key  points  of  TLC  are:  

• Proposed  rail  projects  will  not  relieve  traffic  congestion.      
• T-­SPLOST  is  not  a  “temporary  tax;”  Ultra-­‐expensive  projects  will  require   billions  more  to  complete  than  the  allocated  tax  amount.
• There  is  a  "Plan  B." 

“MAVEN  is  well  funded  to  the  tune  of  $2 million  some  of  which  is  through  the  unconstitutional  use  of  taxpayer  money  from  CID’s. We  are  truly  a  grassroots,   volunteer­‐driven  organization  that  is  self-­funded  through  donations,”  said  Staver.  “We  dispel  the  myths  about  traffic  solutions  claimed  by  ARC  through  our  fact  sheet,   which  can  be  downloaded  from  our  website,  TrafficTruth.net.   The  two  page  document   provides  voters  with  real  facts  and  real  numbers  that  rebut  every  falsehood  from   ARC,  MAVEN,  and  Untie  Atlanta.”

(Editor's note: The fact sheet PDF is also attached to this article.)

Other  organizations  are  also  opposed  to  the  tax  plan  including  the  NAACP,  Sierra   Club,  9-­12  projects,  Georgia  Campaign  for  Liberty,  and  Tea  Parties.  While  these   groups  all  oppose  the  tax  for  different  reasons,  the  T­SPLOST  is  proving  to  TLC  that   there  are  clear  issues  with  the  plan  and  the  tax  across  the  board.    

"One  big  question  is  why  is  it  legal  for  an  organization  like  ARC  to  use  taxpayer   dollars  to  tell  lies  and  falsehoods  to  the  voters?  If  the  TSPLOST  was  such  a  great   idea,  why  do  they  need  $2  million  plus  an  additional  $6  million  from  Untie  Atlanta   for  an  advertising  campaign  to  spin  it  and  sell  it  to  the  people  of  Georgia?  One   would  think  they  could  deliver  a  winning  message  without  resorting  to  lying  to  the   voters.  And  finally,  why  would  the  people  of  Georgia  want  to  give  up  local  control,   also  known  as  ‘home  rule’?”  

TLC  is  encouraging  public  debate  on  the  topic  to  include  both  sides  of  the  issue.