By Ashley Speagle
Correspondent
ATLANTA - A long-debated plan to prioritize and pay for state road and transit projects finally may become law, Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue said Thursday.
"We've done a lot of research on making a business case for the investment on transportation. A strong, forward-looking plan is the key to Georgia's economic competitiveness," Gov. Perdue said at a news conference with Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle; House Speaker David Ralston, R-Blue Ridge; and Senate Transportation Committee Chairman Jeff Mullis, R-Chickamauga.
The plan calls for a statewide vote in 2012 on a 1 percent sales tax dedicated to transportation and parceled out among 12 regional transportation planning districts. A governor-appointed planning director in the Department of Transportation would create project lists for the governor and lawmakers to review.
"I believe we now have a strategic plan in place to deal with the governance of how money is spent," Gov. Perdue said.
The legislative leaders spoke in favor of the proposals.
"We've been strong advocates over the years for the regional solution," Lt. Gov. Cagle said.
"This was one of our priorities this session, and here we are in the first half and about to score," Rep. Ralston said.
Sen. Mullis, who has pushed for regional planning and funding in past sessions, called the plans "a giant step toward victory" and added, "empowering the people of Georgia to have the final say in how their money is spent, in their local area and on their roads, is the best solution for success."
Critics have said the plan gives the governor near-total control of transportation planning.
Gov. Perdue said legislation was passed last session that created better legislative oversight of transportation spending.
"I've been a stick in the mud that said we weren't going to provide any more money until we have a governance system that can spend that money wisely," he said.
By the time of the statewide sale tax vote in 2012, he said, the Department of Transportation will have ready a list of potential projects for voters to see.
He has proposed $300 million in bonds in the fiscal 2011 budget for transportation projects, which he hopes will continue each year for 10 years.
"We'll also still have the money we've had, the motor fuel tax and the federal drawdown," Gov. Perdue said.
Rep. Jim Cole, R-Forsyth, one of the governor's floor leaders, will introduce Gov. Perdue's transportation bill Tuesday in the House.