While readers may tire of the debate between me, Mayor Haddix and Commissioner Brown, I believe TheCitizen.com is doing a great public service in helping Fayette citizens understand the importance of the July 31 transportation referendum.
And while the mayor and commissioner continue to tell people to vote “no” on the referendum, I only ask that Fayette citizens get the facts and make an educated decision before they vote.
All the fact’s are available at http://atlantaregionalroundtable.com/. This website contains technical reports on economic cost/benefit and travel impacts, quick facts about the region, project fact sheets on every Fayette county and regional project, and even Google Earth fly-over tours of Fayette county projects.
It’s an unbiased assessment and does not advocate for or against the referendum.
For some reason the mayor and commissioner continue to harp on transit investments in the regional project list. There is not a single transit project in Fayette County. NADA! I thought we all agreed on that.
I sometimes wonder why the mayor and commissioner act like Robert De Niro in “Taxi Driver” where he looks in a mirror and keeps asking himself repeatedly, “You talking to me?”
I thought we had already clarified that Fayette citizens will receive over 100 percent of their investments for highway projects in Fayette County or just over the county line that Fayette citizens use every day. So why the continued discussion on transit? “You talking to me?”
If a Fayette elected official refuses to support the referendum because DeKalb leaders chose to invest 85 percent of their sales taxes for transit, then that is as petty and short-sighted as a DeKalb elected official refusing to support the referendum because Fayette leaders chose to invest 100 percent of their sales taxes for roads.
That is an “I’m just going to take my ball and go home” attitude and is not symbolic of good leadership.
As for starting over in hopes of “coming back to the table and create a sincere plan” as Commissioner Brown suggests, does he really believe that the mix of transit and highways for the region would be dramatically different?
The 100 percent investment in highways in Fayette is what Fayette County leaders knew Fayette citizens wanted and that’s what they got. The 85 percent investment in transit in DeKalb is what DeKalb County leaders knew DeKalb citizens wanted and that’s what they got.
Just the other day Henry County Commission Chairwoman BJ Mathis said the construction and use of a GRTA “Park and Ride” lot removed the equivalent of a whole lane of traffic off of I-75. That’s why she and Locust Grove Mayor Lindsey chose to invest their sales tax dollars on that particular transit project.
I guess Commissioner Brown also knows what’s best for Henry County and thinks they should close Henry’s “Park and Ride” transit lots too?
Fayette citizens need to quit listening to me, Mayor Haddix and Commissioner Brown and get the facts for themselves.
Yes, I’m going to vote yes on July 31. But every voter needs to know why they are for, or against, the referendum and it shouldn’t be because someone else told them what to do.
Terry D. Lawler
Executive Director
Regional Business Coalition of Metropolitan Atlanta
