By Ashley Speagle

Correspondent

ATLANTA -- Gov. Sonny Perdue said Thursday he will recommend putting $300 million in general obligation bonds in the 2011 budget for a statewide transportation plan and will push regional planning districts with local taxing authority to fund road projects.

If legislators approve Gov. Perdue's plan, 12 regional planning districts created by legislation will vote in 2012 on a 1 percent sales tax for transportation needs.

This is Gov. Perdue's first budget since he and lawmakers changed how transportation projects are governed. The overhaul last year took power from the state transportation board and gave it to the governor and the General Assembly.

"We've wrestled with this for two to three years, and transportation has been underfunded," Gov. Perdue said at a news conference.

State Sen. Jeff Mullis, R-Chickamauga, has pushed since 2008 for regional transportation districts and local-option taxing authority. He is chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee.

On Thursday, he predicted North Georgians would support Gov. Perdue's proposal.

"Our region has traditionally voted for SPLOST (funding), and I think they like the concept," Sen. Mullis said.

In a separate news release, he said he expects "a collaborative effort" with the governor and both chambers of the General Assembly, which convened this week.

"These services will provide needed congestion relief and prepare Georgia for future growth in both population and economic development while creating new jobs and revenue streams for transportation funding," Sen. Mullis said.

Gov. Perdue unveiled his proposal a day after his State of the State address and a day before his planned budget presentation today.

He said the $300 million in bonds would be the first installment of a 10-year plan.

Legislators said some kind of transportation plan likely will come out of this session, Gov. Perdue's last, but some had questions.

"The concern I have is if we do regional funding, we have to make sure it fits in the plan of the whole state, to make a network," said Rep. Roger Williams, R-Dalton.

Rep. Tom Weldon, R-Ringgold, said he believes his district would support regional funding but predicted debate over the use of bonds.

"He hasn't given us the budget yet, and I don't know how (legislators) will deal with this bonds project," Rep. Weldon said. "That'll be tricky."

Gov. Perdue said his plan will not increase the budget for bond projects but will reprioritize it to include transportation funding.

He said that, although the legislature can move up the timeline, his deadline "will give the economy time to heal, and it gives time to put together good proposals," ensuring that voters see a list of potential projects before voting.

Rep. Williams expressed concern about the welfare of Dalton State College's $15 million building project, which depends on bonds in the budget.

"Most bonds are for improvements for colleges or school buildings," Rep. Williams said. "There could be some programs we could discontinue temporarily or permanently, but I hope that's not one that gets eliminated."

He said he expects real action on transportation this year.

"I think (the governor has) really expressed a desire for us to come together, and I think everyone's agreed to come out with something, because transportation has really come to be a political problem," Rep. Williams said.

Also Thursday, House Speaker David Ralston's office indicated committee assignments would be announced by next week. Those will determine who the decision-makers are on the transportation committees and the other legislative panels.

Ashley Speagle covers the Georgia legislature. Contact her at speagle.ashley@gmail.com.