Movement on 316?

If you drive 316, you understand the irony in this entry's headline.

However, after years of inactivity on improving Highway 316 -- the four lane, at-grade access road connecting Athens to I-85 in Gwinnett County -- some momentum may be building.

Today, the Georgia Bioscience Joint Development Authority -- a four county partnership between Gwinnett, Barrow, Oconee and Athens-Clarke -- announced it had received a $50,000 planning grant to help plan the future of the road (members of the GBJDA board are pictured at left on a tour of a site in Alabama). Their press release follows.

The creation of a nearly 900 person strong Facebook group seeking to turn the road into a limited access highway in the wake of another tragic death on the road is also refocusing public pressure on politicians to improve the road.

And they are hearing it. Hank Huckaby, arguably the front runner for House Seat 113, has mentioned improving 316 in several campaign appearances. His predecessor, Rep. Bob Smith, fought efforts to turn the road into a toll road, but did support creating a tax allocation district along the road to help fund improvements (the idea never took off).

It is great to see movement on this issue. A limited access University Parkway is critical to our region -- the current at-grade crossings are unsafe and encourage retail and residential development, not the high quality commercial and industrial buildings our region needs. In my opinion, a limited toll option should not be off the table if we want to get this done, but this may be a political non-starter. Time will tell.

The reality is that Gwinnett has the resources and political horsepower to upgrade all of its intersections over time. The other counties on the corridor have much less in the way of resources and influence with the GDOT and in Washington (despite the fact that Athens can claim three natives currently serving in Congress!). For now, our options are limited, but by working together over time the road can be improved.

Politics aside, this is a great show of regional cooperation, which will be a must to get this road improved. My old friend E.H. Culpepper is no doubt smiling down on the GBJDA!

-------------------------------

FOUR COUNTY JOINT DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
AWARDED FEDERAL GRANT TO STUDY 316 CORRIDOR

(Lawrenceville, Ga., June 11, 2010) – The U.S. Economic Development Administration has awarded the Georgia Bioscience Joint Development Authority (GBJDA) a $50,000 short-term planning matching grant to conduct an economic development study that will assist in the creation and implementation of a vision, strategic plan, and short term and long term goals for the development of the 316 Corridor.

“The short-term planning grant from EDA will allow us to conduct an economic development study of the 316 Corridor to determine what resources we currently have available and how best to utilize them to create high-paying jobs for Gwinnett, Barrow, Oconee, and Athens-Clarke counties. The 55 mile Corridor is important to not only the northeast Innovation Crescent technology area, but to the state. We have the potential to develop as a significant logistics corridor linking a network that can provide world class support of life sciences and technology based research, information, and manufacturing,” said Charles Bannister, Chairman of the Georgia Bioscience Joint Development Authority and the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners.” “The study is critical in creating a plan and process for setting development priorities and policy initiatives.”

As stated in the grant request prepared by Will Hearn of Site Dynamics, the objective of the study will be to record the best information on the 316 region and in particular the four counties that make up the Authority in order to understand the economic environment, compare the economic characteristics to other similar markets, and to develop a work plan that engages all parties resulting in technology-based economic development strategies.

A Request for Proposal will be distributed to potential study firms in late June. Study completion is targeted for fall 2010.

The twelve-member Georgia Bioscience Joint Development Authority includes the four counties of Athens-Clarke, Barrow, Gwinnett, and Oconee. The purpose of the Authority is to develop and promote trade, commerce, industry and employment opportunities for the 316 Corridor.

Description of photo attachment:
June 3, 2010 colleagues of the GBJDA participated in a familiarization visit to the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology located in the Cumming Technology Park in Huntsville, AL.
# # #

Watkinsville Happenings and More

Watkinsville has been in the news a lot lately. In case you missed it:

--We're getting a neat new antiques store on Main Street.
--New Mayor Joe Walter is getting his feet wet -- literally.
--Good story on the retirement of Watkinsville Council member Mike Link from the ACC Fire Department. Mike is our longest tenured city council member, and always remembers details that the rest of us don't in meetings, especially on new construction and development projects.

Many thanks to the Athens Banner-Herald's Joe Van Hoose for his great recent coverage of all things Oconee. He, along with the Oconee Enterprise and Oconee Leader, do a nice job of keeping up with the goings on.

In non-Watkinsville political news, a few items of note:

--I think David Brooks has the Obama administration about right in this piece. I like Obama, I just think he has overreached in terms of policy, and think most moderates would agree. And the election of Scott Brown would seem to validate Brooks' position.
--Terry Dickson is convinced Hwy 15 -- the route most Oconee citizens use to get to the coast -- is a dangerous road. I don't really agree. I find it a much more pastoral route than the others to head south. I think the problem is actually probably tired and sleepy drivers on the narrow road, or the fact that people drive way too fast for the conditions of the road.
--Good editorial a few days back from the AJC.
--The AJC points out that the Massachussets election may also be good news for Sen. Johnny Isakson. Hadn't thought about all the implications, but I think Jim is right -- the Democrats will have a really tough time fielding a decent candidate.
--John Oxendine is an absolute train wreck.
--Is anyone locally paying any attention to the Governor's new transportation proposal? Athens-Clarke and Oconee would be grouped with Barrow, Jackson, Jasper, Elbert, Oglethorpe, Madison, Morgan, Greene, Walton and Newton counties in a 2012 vote for a 1 cent sales tax for transportation. Are there enough votes in Walton, Oconee, Athens-Clarke and Barrow to get needed transportation improvements? I'm not sure this is a natural region for transportation unity. The needs in Barrow, Jackson, Athens-Clarke, Oconee, and Walton are very different than the needs in our more rural counties. That said, those five counties also have most of the sales tax dollars as well. CORRECTION: Jim Thompson at the ABH discussed the proposal here.
--The Georgia Chamber of Commerce has its first female chair. Good for them.
--A good perspective on how economic development is changing and how American communities are being impacted.

A New Year of Posting

I thought about making my New Year's resolution to post more often. However, that may not be realistic. But I will do my best, especially as we lead up to what is the most interesting 3-4 months of the year, as legislators head back to Atlanta to stir up all sorts of trouble.

Some quick hits for the day:

• Despite hard right and hard left shots, the appointment of Brian Kemp as Secretary of State is a very good thing for Georgia and this region. Brian is a strong leader and was a very good Senator. Brian worked hard and cared deeply about the communities in his district, and will make a fine statewide official. The arguments that the appointment is politically motivated may have some truth, but what governor -- Democrat or Republican -- is not politically motivated? Was Brian honestly supposed to turn down the appointment? And since Brian was already a candidate (never mind the best candidate in my mind), he was an appropriate choice. My guess is that the political calculus was pretty easy for Brian: come November the power of incumbency easily trumps the grumbles of 100 hard core Republicans and a few Democrats who won't support any Republican for the office anyway.
  
• If you are interested in Georgia's transportation challenges, read this editorial and take time to review the report. I worked briefly with State Transportation Planning Director Todd Long when he oversaw GDOT's Gainesville office, and he is one of the most honest and competent transportation officials I have been involved with. His bottom line is that we have to dedicate more dollars to transportation or we will fall behind, and the report makes a very compelling case. Let's hope the legislature pays attention.
  
• Speaking of falling behind, check out this story on Georgia's new economy strategy. I don't know where these states get their resources (higher tax rates? different priorities?), but they are not just outspending us on transportation, but on economic development as well. The stem cell issue is one that could disproportionately impact Athens. We will be following it closely as we move into the session.
• Looks like we are getting a nifty new antiques store in Watkinsville. They are locating just south of the courthouse in the row of shops. The owner, Joann Stewart, is a nice lady -- I have purchased Daylilys from her farm on Simonton Bridge Road (all you amateur gardeners out there should check it out).

City Council Update

First of all, we had an extremely busy night at Watkinsville City Council tonight. Thanks as always to those who attended the meeting. A quick recap for those of you who couldn't make it:

• The Atchley family, who reside in the historic green home on South Main Street, won the Beautiful Yard of the Month award. It is well deserved -- they have been landscaping and growing a beautiful garden in their driveway. This is one of the oldest homes in Watkinsville, originally built in the late 1700s or early 1800s, I think.
  
• Two-term councilman John Walsh tonight announced his official resignation as he has moved out of the city. The council appointed Christian Lake resident and former Realtor(R) Henry Norman to take his place. John served the city ably, and we look forward to putting Henry to work as well. Henry's background in public safety and real estate should bring a lot of strong and complimentary skills to the council. I have known Henry since going through Leadership Oconee in 2004 and can testify that he is a very strong leader and great thinker. He will fill the term through Dec. 31, although if elected in November to the post (he has declared his candidacy), he will continue on as a council member for a 2 year term. We are all excited to have a resident of Christian Lake -- our largest subdivision in the city -- on the council.
  
• We had a lengthy discussion of SPLOST priorities. Samantha Purcell and I provided recommendations on significant upgrades and improvements for Harris Shoals Park (including improvements of existing facilities, a new young children's playground, recycling bins, new restrooms, stream bank remediation, etc.) as well as funding allocated for Rocket Field and our newest park (along Barnett Shoals Road) at a later date. We will likely finalize these items at our next meeting and work through a delivery schedule.
  
• As I expected, the council unanimously opposed the four-laning of Simonton Bridge Road from the Oconee County line to 3rd street. There was discussion of what improvements may or may not be necessary (Kate McDaniel had suggestions as well), but the council was in agreement that the proposed MACORTS long range plan would not be good for the city. See yesterday's entry for more background on this and for details on how to offer your opinion on Simonton Bridge and other proposed future road improvements.
  
• We also kept the millage rate the same (city taxes will fall due to slightly lower property valuations), and adopted ordinances to deal with franchise fee issues and flood damage prevention.

As always, would welcome any input on these or any other issues!

The Joy of Transportation Planning

Sometimes, things sneak up on you. Transportation planning has a way of doing that. However, if you're interested in the future of transportation in Oconee County, you should take time to review the MACORTS long range plan and offer comments.

I visited what appeared to be a sparsely attended public hearing tonight (three of eight attendees when I left at 6:10 were from the Watkinsville City Council) and came away underwhelmed. According to County Public Works Director Emil Beshara, MACORTS scaled back its plans to just what could be funded, resulting in lots of roads formerly slated to be widened (noticeably, 441 from Bishop to the county line and Hog Mountain Road to 78) off the list. A few notes from the meeting:

• According to the plan, Simonton Bridge is slated to be widened to four lanes from the River to 3rd Street in Watkinsville. It is likely that City Council will formally register its opposition to this approach tomorrow night at our monthly meeting and offer our own suggestions. Personally, I think widening Simonton Bridge beyond additional bike lanes and perhaps a center turn lane is a terrible idea and could jeopardize what is one of just a few scenic entries into Oconee County, and ruin one of the last good cycling routes in and out of Oconee County from Athens. And if Clarke County does not make commensurate improvements on their side of the river, the move makes even less sense. When I mentioned this to Emil, he stated that his (the county's) intention was to just widen and add turn lanes to Simonton Bridge (not four lanes!) and that this was not being done "for economic development purposes." Obviously, something was lost in communication to GDOT and MACORTS, as the plans clearly suggest four laning and adding turn lanes to the road.
  
• Union Church Road is slated to be four lanes from 53 to New High Shoals, despite none of the other roads around listed as being four-laned. This does not seem to make sense.
  
• Hog Mountain Road is slated for four lanes between 441 and Mars Hill. Speaking of Mars Hill, that project -- which will widen the road from University Parkway through Butler's Crossroads to Watkinsville -- is still on the list and likely to move ahead in the next few years.
  
• Plans are on the list for a 441 - 15 connector that would relieve truck traffic from downtown Watkinsville, an absolute positive. The only other potential new roads planned are near the extreme north end of the county near the commercial corridors along Daniell's Bridge, Jimmie Daniel, and Epps Bridge, which will no doubt be necessary as commercial grows in these areas.
  
• Emil did say that while 441 and other projects were not on the maps, they were in an "appendix" and could be revived at any time. I found this curious.
  
• Interestingly, Athens-Clarke is the only community that submitted any non-road items in the plan (commuter rail is mentioned towards the end of the plan where it was moved to the unfunded portion of the plan). While the friendly lady at the session told me it was inefficient to pursue federal funds for non-road projects, I find it odd that no sidewalks, pedestrian transportation, or bike paths are even being considered as part of the MACORTS plan in Madison or Oconee counties.
  

At any rate, if you have any interest in future transportation, take a look at the MACORTS site linked above and register your comments on specifics or the plans in general. While most of the Oconee projects are listed for long-range items, you never know when other factors will speed them up, so it may pay to register your opinions early and often.

Retreat!

Apologies for the late notice, but the Watkinsville City Council is having its first planning retreat in many years (if ever) tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Ashford Manor. The public is of course invited. Items on the agenda include discussion of SPLOST funds (focused on roads, sidewalks, greenspace, infrastructure, and public safety investments), the County Courthouse situation, annexation, and many other "big picture" topics it is difficult to discuss at regular meetings. Citizen input is encouraged -- feel free to comment or e-mail with items if you cannot make it.

A Sad Day

This region lost a true leader when E.H. Culpepper passed away this morning. After a long battle with cancer, in which his body may have flagged but his spirit never did, E.H. has finally gone on to a better place in the sky.

When Susan and I first returned to Athens and I was starting the local office of Jackson Spalding, E.H. was one of the first people I met. He helped introduce me to lots of local folks, educated me about regional politics, invited me to events in Athens and Atlanta, and gave me informal lessons on transportation, regionalism, and dreaming big. For nearly eight years, he was a tireless advocate for me personally and our company. I can't count the times he would stop by the office to give me an idea he was working on. I would write it up, flesh it out, and help him put together a meeting to carry it forward to the next step.

His ideas were often far ahead of what Georgia's politicians -- and at times citizens -- were willing to conceive, and that was part of his charm.

Commuter rail in Georgia? Why not! 441 as a leading tourism corridor? Absolutely -- in fact it already is. A rail anchored triangle between Gainesville, Athens, and Gwinnett? Makes sense. 316 as a Biotech corridor? It will happen, not a doubt. On campus commuter rail at UGA? UGA will buy that line eventually. A significant airport in Barrow County? Who could be opposed to that?

I wound up helping him with a tough campaign for State House a few years ago. He fought the good fight, but lost to a smart young politician in Doug McKillip. E.H. knew it would be tough to beat a Democrat in liberal minded Athens (he ran as an independent -- I just don't think there was a party for a train loving, government supporting, pro-business type like E.H.), but he walked miles speaking to voters and gathered petitions to just to make the ballot.

Perhaps his greatest strength in the time I knew him was his ability to bring people together. The wide ranging conversations might cover everything from nanotechnology to bicycling to recycling, and were often lubricated by heaping plates of E.H. and Eye's world famous BBQ. Those who joined those conversations benefited from what were easily the best ribs anywhere in Georgia, period. And even better, you often got to take home zip lock bags of the extras. At one point, I had ribs for lunch every day one week when E.H. stocked the office refrigerator with leftovers.

So tonight, it is my sincere hope that E.H. is looking down on us all with a smile on his face. Perhaps we can count on a little divine intervention to help us with some of the challenges E.H. foresaw years ago that our state and region have still not addressed when it comes to economic development, rail, and road transportation.

Either way, there will never be another Elijah H. Culpepper, but we can rest well knowing he has imparted these leadership lessons over BBQ to hundreds of Georgians: ignore county lines, reach out to others, build coalitions, and most importantly, don't be afraid to conceive of a big idea and then work tirelessly to make it happen.

Transportation Stimulus Funds Bypass Clarke, Oconee

Out of $512 million allotted for Georgia roads, bridges and transit dollars, Athens-Clarke and Oconee counties got exactly zero Federal stimulus dollars in phase one allocations. Details here and here on who got the bacon, and who didn't. Gwinnett County alone scored 13% of the total allocation and more than twice as much funding as our entire congressional district (approximately $70 million to $30 million). Granted, Gwinnett has enormous transportation issues, many of its own making. But the short story for our area: no cash, no transit, no roads, no jobs, nothing changes. Hopefully we will do better in round 2 of the sweepstakes.

This and That

• Stem Cells: Former Perdue spokeswoman and native Athenian Heather Hedrick Teilhet speaks for thousands of Georgia families in her editorial in the AJC today regarding SB 169. I truly believe this stem cell bill -- even if it goes no further -- is unnecessary and has angered many conservative and pro-business Republicans. Just by getting this far, the bill has hurt our local and statewide economic development efforts amidst a recession. What a waste of time and energy.
  
• OC Party: Congrats to Watkinsville's Jay Hanley for being elected chair of the Oconee County Republican Party.
• Enough Already: Over at Tondee's Tavern, Oconee resident Johnathan McGinty articulates what I have been thinking for months -- enough already with the pessimism, state climatologists! While it hasn't been a banner year for rain, here in Northeast Georgia, the resevoirs and rivers are full. I'm not saying we're out of the woods, but our state officials need to understand that if all you do is talk continuously about how bad things are, people will quit listening (especially when we just got 3 inches of rain).
• Slippery Slope: Was surprised to see the Watkinsville alcohol issue get such prominent play in today's Oconee Enterprise (the story is not available online); ABH covers it here. If you read the OE article, it says I am opposed to retail beer and wine sales for philosophical reasons. I don't have a problem with alcohol, but here's my philosophy: there should be a good reason besides "everyone else is doing it" to change our ordinance. The situation in Watkinsville hasn't changed since we approved pouring licenses for beer and wine in restaurants, when we decided not to do retail sales. That was clearly a good decision as it helped our restaurants and enhanced our economic development prospects -- we had a good rationale for that decision. However, I don't think we should change our ordinance to "possibly" get a wine and cheese store or to save people a little gas when they want to buy beer. Frankly, the most likely immediate outcome is more gas stations, who will be the prime beneficiaries under the current ordinance. I have also suggested that if our goal is to get a gourmet food store, let's pass an ordinance for just that (I have provided a template for consideration), rather than one that accomodates all retail outlets. That said, a quick vote count indicates that the ordinance will pass with some amendments, and it is about as tightly constructed as one gets. I just don't see the need for it. And if we follow the line of the reasoning that "90% of the rest of the county has it, so why shouldn't we" on other issues, Watkinsville would be a very different place, wouldn't it?
  
• Transportation: Odds for meaningful transportation reform continue to dwindle as the House, Senate and Governor continue to play a parlor game with an issue that is critical to the future of Georgia. If you think this has bad consequences for Athens and Oconee, imagine the hand wringing in Atlanta, Savannah, and elsewhere.
• Republican Plans: Matt Towery has a nice piece on how the Republican party can become relevant again at Insider advantage. Unfortunately for us but probably fortunately for Towery's company, a subscription is required. An excerpt: "I recognize that this appears to be a simplistic set of proposals. They are, and for a reason. Simple bold concepts work. When people want change, and inevitably they do, they don't want halfway, watered-down reform. They vote for bold proposals and real change implemented as swiftly as possible." His ideas: bring back term limits. Get rid of the IRS. Eliminate federal agencies. And restore America as a manufacturing powerhouse. Towery is much better when he focuses on these types of issues rather than sniping over problems at the Georgia Dome, etc.
• Medicaid: Our local hospitals have gone to war at the legislature over medicaid reimbursement cuts recommended by the Governor, with a full scale e-mail and fax campaign that is rarely seen from Athens outside of environmental issues. The House has figured out a way to keep the money in by accurately applying the new FMAP match that is part of the stimulus funds. The Governor and senate budget writers aren't buying the change. Hundreds of local jobs would be lost in Athens if the Governor's version of the bill passes. Lots of detail here.
• Georgia Gets Railroaded: Shoutout in Flagpole for Voice of Moderation here. Thanks Ben. More detail on NC's intercity commuter rail program plans here. I'm green with envy.
  
• Those must be some good lobbyists: Speaking of SB 169, the author of the original bill plans to run for state insurance commissioner because lobbyists asked him to. Not the way to start a campaign, according to the ABH.
• It's a question of Priority: Charles Krauthammer gets to the heart of many Americans' growing unease with President Obama's plans and budget growth. They recognize energy independence is a problem. Healthcare is a problem. But are they the problems we should be dealing with right now? Did they cause our economic issues? Can we solve these in the middle of a recession? The least competent aspect of the new administration appears to be the Secretary of the Treasury. Not good. But can Republicans figure out an alternative besides the "wishing for failure" one being suggested by our esteemed talk radio hosts? Parts of the Obama platform have broad appeal -- energy independence, conservation, education investments, etc. -- others, much less so.
  

State Ownership of Transit

Our own State Rep. Bob Smith is proposing that the state have some control Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, Watkinsville native Scott Trubey reports here for the Atlanta Business Chronicle. Dan Matthews thinks it's a terrible idea, but doesn't say why.

I think it is interesting, at least. While the day-to-day operations of Hartsfield are generally well run, its approach to capital projects is often disastrous.

• Example 1: the planned International Terminal, which is sorely needed as passengers arriving in Atlanta from foreign destinations not only have to deplane but have to collect and re-check all luggage (even if you are not changing flights!), which is a tremendous inconveinience. This project has doubled in cost since its conception. Recently Delta requested $400 million in budget cuts to the project (as an added bonus, the project is now three years behind schedule).
  
• A new people mover to transport passengers to the rental car areas dubbed "CONRAC" has seen its budget spike by at least $30 million since inception as well.
• See also the infamous "new runway" built several years ago where the contractor who provided the dirt was convicted of corruption (he was allegedly "required" to raise $100,000 for then Mayor Bill Campbell's campaign as a condition for getting the bid).
  
• Until recent years, it was also always understood there was a certain level of corruption just below the surface at the airport, especially during the Maynard Jackson and Bill Campbell eras. Respected former Airport Manager Angela Gittens said essentially that as she left.
  

So the idea that there should be some level of state input on the future of this statewide asset makes sense to me, although state management of any profitable, successful asset gives me pause. I do believe that Ben DeCosta is a good manager (the airport has good retail choices, is clean, efficient, etc.), but it is obvious there is something that constantly gums up the works on big projects at Hartsfield, and I'd love to know what that is.

However, the real transportation asset that should be taken over by the state is MARTA. If there is one asset that needs new management, new capital, and new ideas, that is it. Limiting both our rail and air transportation assets -- which are of critical importance to the state's future economic health -- to the revenues and skill sets available in Atlanta and/or DeKalb counties, doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me.

This and That

A lot going on, and not a lot of time to blog. Some quick hits:

• Georgia's move to restrict stem cell research and in vitro fertilization is bad news for parents struggling to have children and for scientific research.
  
• Surprise, Surprise. North Carolina, which has its act together on rail and transportation, stands to get $8 billion (yes, with a "B") for inter-city, high speed rail. That would be enough to fund the brain train as well as commuter rail to Lovejoy and Cobb County, the last time I checked. Georgia legislative leaders please take note about the power of actually having transportation plans in place and a dedicated funding source.
  
• UGA professor Larry Nackerud stirred up a hornets' nest with his comments on ICE raids in the Athens paper yesterday. It boggles my mind that in this economy (with unemployment approaching 10%) that there are still people out there who want us to go out of our way to accomodate those who enter our country illegally rather than using the valid, legal processes.
  
• In "Confessions of a Tax Man," blogger Grift Drift has a great post on why a move to "change the rules" for legislators with tax troubles doesn't make a lot of sense. That said, I do believe there certainly should be no special exceptions for elected officials.
• Georgia desperately needs a solution for trauma care, and super speeder fines are one of the easier solutions. No brainer. The only real question is why there isn't a trauma care center closer to Athens than Grady Hospital in Atlanta. We probably can't afford one.
  
• Jim Thompson and the guys nail it here. It is about time our legislators toned down the rhetoric and started really working to address our budget challenges. It only took 25+ days of work to get there.
• David Brooks, my other favorite columnist, is at it again, offering up way too much practicality for most Republicans to handle. Guys, despite what Rush says, being "Dr. No" is not going to win us the next election. Nor will waiting on the President to fail.
  
• In case you missed it yesterday, some Georgia legislators want to move the state back to the gold standard. If tax dollars were used to draft this bill the legislators should be reported to Casey Cagle.
• Any predictions on how the largely conservative Bulldog nation would react to having the brother in law of the president as our next hoops coach?
  

Musings from the Dome

Some goings on at the Dome that have local relevance:

• Heard from a source at the Dome yesterday who assured me that the House Leadership and others are working aggressively to break the logjam on transportation. It gives me a little more hope than I had on Tuesday that something may happen. My friend said that he has never seen the spirit of cooperation down there the way it is right now, and that's great. But cooperation alone ain't gonna cut it -- someone is going to have to seriously budge to make something happen in the waning days of the session, as the Governor is using his SRTA/GRTA act as a litmus test for passing the funding bills. My big wish is that the Governor hadn't thrown the "new governance" stink bomb into the mix this year, as transportation reform was complicated enough with competing funding bills. My opinion: we should tackle funding this year (recognizing it will be voted on in 2010 and a lot of voter education will be necessary for either TSPLOST or a statewide sales tax) and reform governance next year. My preference is still the statewide bill, which will help quickly implement some of the major improvements (rail, freight, ports, highways, transit) that we need, but I could live with any reasonable compromise that provides dedicated funding, and I think most Georgians could too. Opponents are attempting to use references to underground tunnels and the northern arc in the statewide bill to gin up opposition, but it is important to note that these are proposed as public-private ventures, not paid for with the sales tax funds. Note also this op-ed on transportation from the Rome News Tribune, always one of the state's more thoughtful publications.
  
• One has to wonder if the Governor has an axe to grind against hospitals after yesterday's announcement and his earlier attempt to increase taxes on their revenues. Is there some sort of massive largess in our system that I am missing? This whole discussion hearkens back to my earlier point about cutting the state budget -- in my opinion, cutting around the edges just makes everything weaker. Look, we all know this is a TOUGH budget year. However, as I said in January, I wish we could cut off entire portions of the government instead and retain funding for transportation, healthcare, and education -- the things Georgians and local governments can't fund themselves. David Shafer, I might be coming around to your way of thinking on the budget process.
  
• I am pleased that Austin Scott is talking sense to his Republican colleagues in the House. Why do they keep trying to tell local governments how to do business? How would Georgia Republicans respond if the Feds told them how much they could tax, what they could spend it on, and where their employees need to live? It makes no sense, and the Brunswick News agrees (story at left -- wish I could link to their editorials) -- I just wish Jerry Keen and Chip Rogers (see comments below) would listen to them.

As the World Turns (GDOT edition)

Unlike many of my Republican colleagues, I think the GDOT board was pretty smart to fire Gena Evans. Not because I am a fan of GDOT, which is awash with ineffective bureaucracy and major financial problems. But when you find out your commissioner is supporting an agency's demise with a combination of inaction and insubordination (even if she believes she is doing the right things), you've got to let her go. And what's the point of keeping her, when her loyalty lies with two men -- Lt. Gov. Cagle and Gov. Perdue -- who are trying to dismantle your organization?

Evans certainly had a reform agenda. Unfortunately, she didn't recognize that while implementng her agenda, she needed to keep projects moving. While there was palpable excitement after Evans' appointment, frustration steadily mounted as projects were constantly delayed, shelved, or cancelled. With Evans, it was all publicity, no paving. This quote from outspoken board member David Doss in the Rome News-Tribune makes it clear that inaction was Evans' undoing:

“I think it had become clear to the board that there was growing dissension about the lack of progress being made, and the majority felt it was finally time to make a change and go in a different direction,” Doss said. “It’s no secret that the board has been split for quite some time on a lot of public votes. But on this issue, it seems that some members obviously changed their minds and voted for the termination.”

So last week the GDOT board kicked the fox out of the henhouse and appointed Gerald Ross, an unassuming engineer I met when working with Oconee County on the Mars Hill expansion, interim commissioner. Safe choice. Jim Galloway has the best play by play here.

Now the real fun begins. Evans has gone public and is attacking GDOT in outlets like the AJC, Creative Loafing and WSB-TV. Only one reason to do this: Evans supports the Governor and Lt. Gov.'s transportation funding revamp and wants to paint GDOT as incompetent. Fair enough.

However, with competing transportation funding bills in the senate and house and the wholesale restructuring bill floating around the legislature, my bet is that nothing occurs on transportation this year. There is just too much information for legislators to process. One likely predictor of the future: the Georgia House has positioned itself to benefit from inaction, according to Galloway:

The governor is now persona non grata with the constitutionally required board that governs the DOT — as witnessed by last week’s firing of Commissioner Gena Evans. The Senate has joined Perdue.

If the House emerges as the protector of the DOT board, the chamber would have enormous sway over that agency — and the billions of dollars it controls — for years to come.

Should this happen, of course, chances of an agreement between the Senate and House over a sales tax for transportation would be out the window.

Inaction, ironically, will leave GDOT in the driver's seat to implement stimulus funds and more.

So what does this mean for Northeast Georgia? Best case: status quo, with a competent regional GDOT office executing basic plans and maintaining our roads. A dedicated funding source for transportation seems like a long shot. Worst and likely case: another year wasted when it comes to transportation funding and structure, which is bad news for Atlanta and all of Georgia. No dollars for the Brain Train. More chaos with state transportation funding. No 316 improvements. And continued damage to our state's reputation as a place to locate a business.

A solution would involve more pragmatism than Georgia's political leadership has shown in the past few years, so my hopes are not high. Please comment if you see any solutions I'm missing.

Quick Hits

• Over at the Athens Inbox, I posted about an Athenian being considered for an ambassadorship to Germany. As one commenter said, Germany and Athens both have a lot of beer and a lot of bars -- so sending one of our own over there makes a lot of sense. Would be very good news for our region.
  
• Maria Saporta and others are right -- Gena Abraham's ouster just makes Georgia's transportation mess that much worse. I think the odds are high that nothing of significance happens with transportation this year, and that will be terrible news for our state. One bright spot: interim GDOT commissioner Gerald Ross was heavily involved in the Mars Hill widening project in Oconee, so that project may move up the priority ladder, if such a ladder still exists at GDOT.
  
• Love the idea of using sheep to kill privet in the OC. Can they kill bamboo too? If so, sign me up.
• For all my hiking/outdoorsy friends: check out this story from the Athens Banner-Herald. Trail food in the dining hall. Great idea. UGA's food services operation is ridiculously innovative (and good).
  

Stimulus, Rail, and the Fallacy of "Shovel Ready"

Pete McCommons makes the obvious link in his column today between the stimulus plan and commuter rail. Rhetoric aside, I actually agree with about 90% of Pete's column today -- I just wish a whole lot more of the stimulus bill was going towards true infrastructure projects -- the rails, sidewalks, parks, roads, etc. that he describes -- rather than social programs and other things that simply further a social agenda.

The true handicap of the stimulus bill in terms of infrastructure is that it only goes for "shovel ready" projects, which are limited in scope and impact. Why is this the case? First of all, you don't get something "shovel ready" unless there is a good chance it is going to happen quickly. It takes too much time and energy. So, while E.H. Culpepper and others have done enormous leg work the Brain Train rail project from Athens to Atlanta, it is by no means "shovel ready." Nor would a 316 upgrade be "shovel ready." However, give us a year and the promise of significant federal money, and I bet this region could have both projects ready.

The sad fact is, with today's regulatory environment, getting something "shovel ready" can take years. Should the burdens of our own state and federal environmental requirements preclude local communities from making the best use of federal infrastructure dollars?

Was Recent GDOT Election a Reason for Hope for Dems?

Interesting analysis of the recent GDOT board race by Jim Galloway. Says Galloway:

Parham’s election is significant on two levels. First, according to Porter, it creates a 7-6 split on the 13-member DOT board, giving the upper hand to those who favor legislative control of the body over those who think the governor ought to dominate.

His main conclusion: that the election of State Rep. Bobby Parham just might be the first big win state democrats have put together in a while, and could make it much tougher to eviscerate GDOT as the state's leaders plan to do.

It is an interesting theory, and adds another layer to all the drama surrounding transportation funding and planning in Georgia this year. Like my friends at Get Georgia Moving, I'm just hoping that something gets done this year. By the way, great story on the efforts of Get Georgia Moving and its efforts to keep transportation funding front and center here.

Transportation and Education

Those who follow this blog won't be surprised by this assertion: I believe greater investment in secondary and higher education and a dedicated source of transportation funding are the two most critical things that can happen for our region in the year ahead.

Recently, some interesting news has emerged on both fronts.

Last Friday, the Atlanta Regional Coalition for Higher Education (ARCHE, for short) released a fascinating statewide poll on taxpayers' perceptions of higher education funding. Among the key findings: that taxpayers will pay higher taxes to support higher education. Investments in higher education, especially in Athens and UGA, are investments in the future of the whole state. They also pay off for the entire local community, and should be protected at all costs. More details on the survey here. Full disclosure -- ARCHE is a client of my company's, but I would have blogged it anyway.

Yesterday, Rep. Vance Smith officially rolled out his transportation plan (called the 20/20 act), which calls for a 1% sales tax to fund state transportation. His plan would raise $25 - $29 billion for Georgia transportation over the next 10 years. This is almost as much money as the Obama stimulus plans to spend nationwide! Now that we know the details of Rep. Smith's plan, I have to respectfully disagree with the ABH and others who argue that a regional solution is superior at this point.

A regional approach might be best in Atlanta -- where there is a strong sales tax base, an effective regional planning body, and a vision for transportation, but out here, there is a void in that area. Just putting together a regional coalition would be a mess. Smith's bill is incredibly comprehensive. There are transit upgrades. Dedicated LARP funding and state aid for counties and cities. $400 million for regional airports. $1 billion for bridge improvements. Funding for the Brain Train and 316. 441 would be improved from Athens to I-16 for freight transportation. Additionally, it would allocate $1,000 per local resident as well to local cities with populations over 15,000, meaning Athens-Clarke would be in line for more than $80 million over the next 10 years for locally driven projects. More details here + maps. It is hard to be opposed to such a rich proposal, and seems to offer strong value for "one penny," especially when many of those pennies come from people passing through our state.

While I prefer the statewide plan at this time, I also firmly believe that something is better than nothing, and that we definitely need to move some sort of transportation reform out of the legislature this year.

Editing the State Budget

There are a lot of times when I'm writing that I have to fit a certain word limit. Sometimes 500 words, sometimes 1000 words. There have been many times when I start work and quickly realize I am at 1,200 words, and realize I have to cut 20 or more out of the story. I usually can't accomplish this by just cutting 20 percent from each paragraph. I have to take out entire sections or ideas that, while important, were not essential to the overall piece.

Our state legislators should take a similar approach to Georgia's budget. Lets be realistic -- with a $2 billion budget gap, you are going to weaken every piece of state government if you just slice 10% out of operations equally. Unless we are willing to increase revenue (doubtful), legislators need to prioritize, and frankly, eliminate, some elements of state government, or we risk weakening every single element to the point where none of it is effective.

Here's my plan: the state should focus on three priorities: education, transportation, and environmental and public health. In other words, things local communities cannot accomplish on their own. If it doesn't fit in those buckets, cut it out or give the money for those functions to local governments or private partners and let them execute it.

What we are seeing now -- particularly in secondary and higher education -- is an evisceration, and it is sad. While I don't support "throwing money" at education, taking money away, especially from one of the nation's best higher education systems, is a tragic mistake.

On the transportation side, the lack of activity and leadership is tragic, although some of the more recent proposals offer hope. Both of these areas are critical areas to our state's future and require state leadership and investment.

Support for public and environmental health -- especially EPD and trauma care. Adding taxes to local health care systems is ridiculous.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I will say that I have friends and clients that operate in all three of these areas. I also have a lot of clients impacted by other areas of state government. But the bottom line is this: does anyone else want to offer up some solid solutions?

Transportation Logjam Breaking Up?

I was able to attend yesterday's Eggs and Issues breakfast hosted by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and came away as confused about Georgia's efforts to fix transportation as ever. A quick summary:

Governor Perdue, in his classic COO style: "I will support transportation improvements if and when we can find a plan and a way to fund it."

Lt. Governor Cagle, playing it safe: "I support regional choice in transportation."

Speaker Richardson: "I am leaving it to Vance Smith and company to come up with a plan, but I don't like the regional approach."

Now as a local official, I like the local approach. But I think one reason local officials like the T-SPLOST or more locally driven options is because there is a vacuum right now -- nothing is getting done or funded at the state level, and there is no "plan."

But what I am hearing today is exciting -- that Rep. Smith has put his proposal on the table, and it includes myriad road, transit, cargo, and rail projects that would be funded by a 10-year, one percent statewide sales tax. Folks, the early list includes things like the Brain Train, light rail to the suburbs, the Atlanta Belt Line, and much more.

This is exciting news, and if the bill is well thought out, could be a game changer for Georgia, if GDOT can implement once the funds are raised. It is exciting to see Republican leadership in Georgia understanding that transportation is about more than rails. Fingers crossed....

Is a Penny Saved a Penny Earned?

If you're wondering why this recession is going to be a doozy, read this article in today's Wall Street Journal (no password required for this article) and a related sidebar on what a penny saved really costs.

It looks like American families are finally doing what they should have been for a long time: spending less and saving more. Paying down debt. Being thrifty, like our grandparents were. All of this with some help from tighter reins on credit by banks and others.

The problem: a large chunk of our economy is built on unsustainable consumerism. Remember Bush's suggestion for how we could "sacrifice" in the wake of 9/11 -- "Go shopping." Perhaps the worst move of his presidency.

But what happens if consumers (and businesses) aren't spending? It means consumer spending will not lead us out of this recession in the short term. Or hopefully it won't, because if it does, it means we will not have learned a thing from our borrowing binge. Government and consumers (and in some cases, business) have been spending more than they are earning. Never a good combination.

To move the needle away from our consumerist addiction, we need investments in real innovation and infrastructure in this country. Mass transit, high speed and strong cargo rail on the transportation side (to help alleviate business killing congestion), and research, science and math education on the education side. The sort of things that create jobs but just as importantly spur new ideas that can take our economy in new directions and solve the challenges that are facing us (social security, medicare, medicaid, etc.). Our investments must help us take advantage of the direction that the world is moving in.

How does this translate locally? In my opinion, it means retailers are going to have to work harder than ever for the consumer dollar, and that new retail won't be built any time soon, no matter what my fellow bloggers believe. The feds and local governments should think bigger than simply applying money for "ready to go" highway projects that have minimal impact and focus on infrastructure projects with true region-changing potential. Banks will be helping consumers save, invest wisely, and borrow. It means that local leaders must continue to advocate for investments in secondary and higher education, especially at UGA, Athens Tech and Gainesville College where innovation and ideas emerge. Homes will be built to live in, not for short-term monetary gain.

What do you think?