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For Immediate Release	For More Information Contact:
August 25, 2011	Corey Hull, 229-333-5277

Public Meetings Set for Transportation Sales Tax Project List

The Southern Georgia Regional Transportation Roundtable has set a series
of public meetings to review the Draft Constrained Investment List for
the following counties, representing the Special District for a proposed
transportation sales and use tax: Atkinson, Bacon, Ben Hill, Berrien,
Brantley, Brooks, Charlton, Clinch, Coffee, Cook, Echols, Irwin, Lanier,
Lowndes, Pierce, Tift, Turner, and Ware.

In 2010, Governor Sonny Perdue signed into law the Transportation
Investment Act of 2010, a law prescribing a regional sales tax referendum
for transportation projects. Jay Roberts, State Representative from
District 154-Ocilla, and Chairman of the House Transportation Committee,
said “This law gives

the citizens of each region the power to invest
in their own transportation infrastructure for economic development
and job creation.” The law would create a regional one-percent sales
tax to be collected for ten years and is divided into two pots of
revenue. Seventy-five percent of the revenue is distributed regionally
by the Constrained Investment List; the remaining twenty-five percent
is divided by formula amongst all local governments in the region to
use at their discretion on transportation projects. “The State’s
transportation revenues no longer support the growing need to remain
economically competitive, this new revenue will allow Georgia to continue
to be a leader in transportation investment” said Roberts.

This summer the Executive Committee of the Roundtable has met several
times to select the projects presented in this draft list. Travis Harper,
Mayor of Nashville, GA and Chairman of the Executive Committee commented
on the process to review and select the projects: “The Executive
Committee reviewed each and every project and how it best met the needs
of the region, and worked to make sure the sales tax revenue was divided
equitably amongst the region.” The Executive Committee selected 57
projects, totaling more than $495 million. Each county has at least
one project.

In September the following public meetings will be held so the public can
comment on the Draft Constrained Investment List. Three public meetings
will be held at the following locations, the Project List will also be
available online at www.sgrc.us/transportation.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011; 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.; at the Southern
Georgia Regional Commission Waycross Office; 1725 South Georgia Parkway
West, Waycross, Georgia; presentation will begin at 6:30 p.m.

Monday, September 19, 2011; 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.; at the Valdosta
City Hall Annex; 300 North Lee Street, Valdosta, Georgia; presentation
will begin at 10:30 a.m.

Monday, September 19, 2011; 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.; at the Grand
Conference Center; 119 South Main Street, Fitzgerald, Georgia;
presentation will begin at 6:30 p.m.

After the public meetings the Roundtable will reconvene to review the
public comments and adopt a final Constrained List that will be presented
on the ballot to voters in 2012.

For more information please contact Corey Hull at the Southern Georgia
Regional Commission at chull@sgrc.us or at 229-333-5277.