Georgia Lawmakers Strike Transportation Deal
Shortly before midnight Tuesday, Georgia lawmakers put the finishing touches on a major bill aimed at fixing the state’s crumbling network of roads and bridges. Meanwhile, a surprise, late-night amendment to separate legislation could allow for a dramatic expansion of MARTA.
A compromise bill raising more than $900 million emerged from conference committee just after 9:30 p.m. About an hour later, the House passed it overwhelmingly. The Senate soon followed, but not before several rank-and-file Republicans blasted the bill as an egregious tax hike.
Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle: Senator from the 28th state your inquiry.
Sen. Mike Crane, R-Newnan: Mr. President, isn’t it true that this is an unqualified midnight run on Georgia taxpayers?
Cagle: I think that’s extremely offensive to every [one] of your colleagues.
The bill raises hundreds of millions of dollars by phasing out the state’s 4 percent sales tax on gas, while hiking the excise tax on gas by 18.5 cents per gallon. It also adds new fees on truckers, electric car owners, and hotel guests. In addition, the bill eliminates tax breaks for electric car purchases and Atlanta-based Delta Airlines.
House Speaker David Ralston said the months of debate and negotiation paid off.
“We have done what many, many years of General Assemblies have failed to do by passing something that’s significant, that’s meaningful, and I couldn’t be prouder of the vote of this House tonight,” Ralston said.
The bill also allows individual counties and regions to partner together and pass a local transportation sales tax. That was a provision welcomed by transit advocates, but the encore for many of them came after the transportation bill passed.
In a surprise move, the Senate amended a separate bill that would allow Fulton, DeKalb and Clayton counties to increase the MARTA sales tax, which currently stands at 1 percent. Those counties could ask voters to raise it to 1.5 percent, potentially boosting MARTA’s funding by $200 million per year.
“It’s a game-changer, and we’re really excited,” said Colleen Kiernan, head of the Georgia chapter of the Sierra Club. “It elevates MARTA’s ability to be flexible and meet Metro Atlanta’s transit riders’ needs.”
The MARTA bill still needs to pass the House. The larger transportation bill, meanwhile, goes to the governor’s desk.
This year’s legislative session is scheduled to wrap up Thursday.
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