Will GA 400 Toll Announcement Help TSPLOST Pass?

Often cited as one of the reasons for mistrusting government intentions when it comes to transportation, taxes and tolls, the GA 400 tolls are finally going away -- at the end of 2013.

On July 19, Gov. Nathan Deal announced the state will pay off the GA 400 bond debt by Dec. 1, 2013 and the tolls will come down by the end of next year.

“Ga. 400 commuters have paid more than their fair share already, and this is the earliest we can bring it down without paying a penalty for early repayment of the bonds,” Deal said in a released statement. “When the Ga. 400 toll went up, the state of Georgia promised commuters that it wasn’t forever. If we don’t keep that promise, we lose the faith of the people. We face many challenges when it comes to paying for new capacity, particularly in the Atlanta region. There are no easy answers, no secret pots of money, but it is imperative that governments build the trust of their people. As your governor, I will keep the promises I make to you.”

The GA 400 toll was originally scheduled to end in 2011. However, the state -- under then-governor Sonny Perdue -- issued $40 million in new bonds tied to toll revenue to pay for improvements in the GA 400 corridor. Those bonds were scheduled to be paid off in 2017, but, according to the press release from Gov. Deal's office, can be paid off after three years without penalty.

The early repayment must still be approved by the State Road and Tollway Authority.

While the news is no doubt welcome for GA 400 commuters, the timing is considered suspect by some .

In his Political Insider blog, Jim Galloway wrote, "... there’s no mention of it, but clearly the timing is intended to help the July 31 vote on the transportation sales tax."

WABE public radio noted the timing of the announcement comes just 12 days before the TSPLOST vote.

"Deal, who supports the TSPLOST, says he hopes the move will help build voter confidence before that pivotal vote," WABE reported.

According to WSB radio, Deal admitted he was trying to remove one of the most often voiced objections to TSPLOST.

“One of the arguments against TSPLOST has been that you cannot trust government to do what it says it will do,” Deal said. “I want to remove that impression.” 

WSB political analyst Bill Crane said that may not matter to voters.

“This timing will appear, particularly to voters leaning or trending to vote no against the TSPLOST, as a bribe,” Crane said according to the WSB report.

What do you think? Will Gov. Deal's announcement win any support for TSPLOST or will voters see it as nothing more than a bribe? Let us know in the comments.

You might also be interested in reading: