Public transit funding in Gwinnett and Cobb County among ballot measures in metro Atlanta
Voters across metro Atlanta will decide a handful of local ballot measures in November’s general election. Early voting in Georgia began on Tuesday, Oct. 15 and ends on Nov. 1.
Cobb, DeKalb and Gwinnett County are asking voters to weigh in on proposals for funding public transportation and greenspaces, as well as annexation.
Fulton and Clayton County do not have ballot referendums this year. For statewide ballot measures in Georgia, click here. To view a sample ballot, click here.
Here are the ballot measures to watch for in metro Atlanta.
Cobb County
Voters in Cobb County will decide on a Mobility Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (MSPLOST). The proposal would add a 1% sales tax to fund transit projects in the county.
As reported on “Closer Look with Rose Scott,” the MSPLOST would prioritize adding more bus rapid transit. Other projects would add bus lanes and transit centers, extend transit hours, and establish microtransit in the county.
Lisa Cupid, chairwoman of the Cobb County Board of Commissioners, supports the measure. She said that investing in transportation is important to accommodate a growing population.
“We’ve seen opportunities come and go when we’re dealing with some of the side effects of having more vehicles on our roads, more people in our county, and not having the ability for them to move as quickly as they would like to,” Cupid said on “Closer Look.”
Commissioner Keli Gambrill opposes the measure. She expressed concern that new public transit options would not be utilized by the public.
“I’m opposed to running empty buses around,” Gambrill said.
A “YES” vote would approve the sales tax. A “NO” vote would oppose the sales tax.
It’s a critical election year, and Georgia is at the center of it. Stay in the know with WABE’s 2024 Georgia Elections page, where you can find WABE’s latest election news and podcast episodes, important dates, voting locations, candidate info, results and more.
DeKalb County
Doraville residents will vote whether or not to approve the annexation of two portions of unincorporated DeKalb County into the City of Doraville.
The sections of land are situated near the intersection of I-85, I-285 and Buford Highway.
Ballots will have two measures for the two sections of land, known as Districts B and C.
A “YES” vote would approve annexation. A “NO” vote would oppose annexation.
The nearby city of Chamblee is asking voters to approve up to $30,000,000 in bonds to fund parks, trails and outdoor recreational areas. The city’s general obligation bonds, which are funded by property taxes, would go toward the projects.
It’s unclear exactly what projects would be prioritized, but Chamblee’s Parks and Recreation Master Plan proposes improvements for Keswick Park and Dresden Park, among other projects.
A “YES” vote would approve using bonds to fund the projects. A “NO” vote would oppose it.
Gwinnett County
Residents in Gwinnett County will vote on a SPLOST referendum that proposes a 1% sales tax to fund transit projects. Up to 75 projects are being considered, with emphasis on five areas: microstransit expansion, airport bus routes, rapid transit, expanding local bus services and adding new transit transfer facilities.
The airport bus routes would provide direct transportation to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The two routes would be anchored by the I-985 Park and Ride, and Snellville Town Center.
A “YES” vote would approve the sales tax. A “NO” vote would oppose the sales tax.
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