Hey, Georgia DUers -- what do you think of this July 31st "Untie Atlanta" vote?

[BrendaBrick]

11. Here's a breakdown of the donors for the PR campaign:

$401,000 – $500,000

Georgia Highway Contractors Association $500,000
National Association of Realtors $431,000

$301,000 - $400,000

Georgia Power Co. $395,000
Yancey Brothers Co. (construction equipment) $350,000

$201-300,000

C.W. Matthews Contracting Co. Inc. $300,000
Clear Channel Outdoor (in-kind donation of billboards) $295,000
Cox Enterprises $250,000
Delta Air Lines $225,000

$101,000 – $200,000

Caterpillar $150,000
Coca-Cola $187,500
Home Depot $150,000
Post Apartment Homes $105,000
United Parcel Service $140,000
Vulcan Materials Co. $161,275

$100,000

AGL Resources
AT&T
Carlyle Fraser Employee Benefit Fund
Cousin Properties
ICE (IntercontinentalExchange Inc.)
Jamestown (real estate)
Newell Rubbermaid
RockTenn
Siemens
SunTrust Banks
Turner Broadcasting

$51,000 – $99,000

AECOM (engineering) $60,000
American Council of Engineering Companies of Georgia $57,500
Bank of America $52,500E.R. Snell Contractor 75,000
Georgia Association of Realtors $67,947
Georgia Concrete PAC $67,800
PB Americas Inc./Parsons Brinkerhoff (engineering) $64,500
Pittman Construction $60,000
Rayonier $73,337
Wells Fargo $51,000

$50,000

Bombardier Transportation (rail equipment)
GE Power Systems
Georgia Chamber of Commerce
Georgia Construction Aggregate Association
Holder Construction Group
Invesco (investment management)
Jackson Healthcare LLC
Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital
Regions Bank
Wolverton & Associates Inc. (engineering

$25,001-$40,000

Deloitte $27,5oo
Equifax $30,000
Georgia Concrete and Products Association $31,834
Global Payments Inc. $40,000
Jacobs Engineering Group $30,000
King and Spalding LLP $30,000
Norfolk Southern Corp. (railroad) $27,500
Stantec Consulting Services $30,000
Troutman Sanders LLP $30,000
Stephens Rock and Dirt Inc. $26,000

$25,000

Alston & Bird LLP
AMC Inc. (AmericasMart)
Bank of North Georgia
CH2M Hill Inc. (engineering)
Cisco Systems Inc. (computer networking equipment)
Duke Realty Services
Enterprise Holdings Inc. (rental cars)
First Data Corp. (electronic payment processing)
Gables Limited Partnership (real estate)
Georgia Apartment Association
Georgia Crown Distributing Co.
Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Georgia
KPMG LLP (accounting)
Lehigh Hanson Materials (cement)
Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce
National Distributing Co.
Oxford Industries
Piedmont Operating Partnership (real estate)
Portman Financial Inc. (investments)
Sunbelt Structures (road builders)
Sutherland Asbill & Brennan LLP
United Distributors Inc.
Waffle House

Source: http://www.atlantaunfiltered.com/2012/07/24/real-estate-contractors-top-tsplosts-6m-donor-list/

Compiled from: http://media.ethics.ga.gov/Search/Campaign/Campaign_ByContributions_RFR.aspx?NameID=7075&FilerID=NC2010000025&CDRID=67779&Name=Citizens%20for%20Transportation%20Mobility,%20Inc&Year=2012&Report=December%2031st%20-%20Special%20Election

And this You Tube video from the Green Party:

&feature=youtu.be

I'm so glad that this massive slush fund (masquerading as an important referendum) was defeated and defeated badly! Just goes to show that a slick, multimillion dollar PR campaign doesn't always work! I hope that a much more SENSIBLE Plan B is forthcoming...

...and I wonder if the GA-400 toll will actually be removed by the end of 2013 as per the Governor's rather timely and convenient announcement of this as reported by WSB-TV on 7-19-12:

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/local/governor-remove-ga-400-toll-barriers/nPyPc/

<snip>

“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. "We think it should convey to the public that government can be trusted, and we recognize the impact of transportation and the importance of public confidence with projects of this magnitude."

Government can be trusted. yeah. right. (there really needs to be a "carrot-on-a-stick" smilie)