Voters are rejecting public transit expansion in two Atlanta metro areas

Voters in Cobb and Gwinnett counties in metro Atlanta rejected plans to expand public transportation through a proposed one percent sales tax increase at the ballot box Tuesday.

The referendums aimed to generate billions to finance new bus routes, transit centers and various other transportation projects over thirty years.

However, both counties saw voters reject the additional funding, leaving public transportation advocates concerned about the lack of access in the counties.

Darin Givens, a public transit advocate and founder of the organization ThreadATL, expressed disappointment in the decision.

“It really hurts because it’s just going to take longer and longer for transportation to get better in these places,” Givens said.

For him, the referendum’s failure feels personal.

“I have a neurological condition; I can’t drive. I rely heavily on public transportation. My mother still lives in Cobb County,” he explained.

On the other hand, Lance Lamberton, the leader of the Cobb Taxpayers Association, celebrated the outcome, calling it a “huge victory.”

In an email, Lamberton wrote, “You can rest assured that the taxaholics in the provincial government will try again and again to impose their transit tax.”

He argued that the proposed $10 billion for new bus routes and transit centers would have gone to projects that were likely to be underutilized.

Givens, however, viewed the proposed expansion of transit as essential.

“It would allow someone like me, who can’t even drive, to reach places in Cobb County that I can’t get to right now,” he said.

Randy Scamihorn, chairman of the Cobb County Board of Education took a stand against the expansion on the district’s official websitesuggesting that greater access to public transportation could lead to “poor academic performance and higher rates of discipline problems.”

Givens dismissed these concerns, highlighting the unmet transportation needs of county residents.

“It’s sad to think of all the people in these counties who really need this extra service,” he said.

Gwinnett County’s proposal alone would have raised $17 billion over 30 years, funding as many as 75 transit projects, including new bus service and microtransit expansions. Gwinnett County Chairwoman Nicole Love Hendrickson acknowledged the projected population growth will lead to more traffic congestion on the roads.

“Since the beginning of my term in 2020, I have expressed the need for transit and mobility solutions in Gwinnett. We realized previous efforts at the referendum and went back to the drawing board to design a transit plan that addressed the mobility needs of residents, businesses and stakeholders in Gwinnett,” she wrote, adding that they will still seek to find funding elsewhere for the expansion “We will seek and leverage potential funding from state, federal and local sources as we continue to strive toward our goal of mobility for all,” she said.

Givens reflected on the human impact of the failed measures. “It’s just a human issue. Right. Not all of us can own a car or drive a car. And so it affects me on a very emotional level. And so I’m having a sad day,” he said.

This marks another setback for the expansion of public transportation in the area. In 2019, Gwinnett voters rejected a MARTA proposal that would have expanded the county’s bus system and introduced rail service. Cobb County leaders have also resisted similar efforts for decades.

“Today’s results on the Mobility SPLOST referendum reflect the clear and resounding voice of Cobb County voters and the strength of our democratic process,” said Drew Raessler, director of the Cobb County Department of Transportation. “While the Mobility SPLOST has not been passed, we remain committed to ensuring Cobb County remains a leader in growth, innovation and opportunity in Georgia. The conversation about our transit future will continue and we will continue to work diligently on solutions that meet the changing needs of our community.”

In other metro Atlanta areas, Hall and Jackson also voted on sales tax proposals aimed at funding transportation and infrastructure improvements.