Published 2/2/2024
On Thursday, February 1st, 2024, the Atlanta-Region Transit Link Authority (ATL) reviewed transit plans for Gwinnett, Cobb, and Douglas County, among other agenda items. According to our sources, the ATL has completed its first read of Cobb’s transit expansion Program of Projects (POP); per the HB930 process, any transit projects beyond the Atlanta Regional Transit Plan’s (ARTP) existing list must be approved by the ATL and the ARTP must be amended. A 30-day comment period on these proposed amendments has now opened.
For more information on next steps, see the timeline and resources on our Cobb MSPLOST webpage.
Cobb MSPLOST Public Outreach Contract Awarded for Potential November 2024 Referendum
Published 1/12/24
On Tuesday, January 9th, 2024, the Cobb County Board of Commissioners approved a contract with Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc., for “planning services related to public outreach for a Mobility Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax ballot referendum for November 2024.” This question was originally raised in December’s BOC meeting, but was pushed to this month to allow the commissioners more time to review the partnership with Kimley-Horn.
Cobb DOT Director Drew Raessler has emphasized how incredibly important public outreach is to their MSPLOST efforts. For more information on the MSPLOST, see September’s Cobb Advisory Roundtable recap.
MSPLOST Program of Projects Approved by Cobb County BOC
Published 12/18/23
On December 12th, 2023, the Cobb County Board of Commissioners approved the MSPLOST Program of Projects, with 3 for and 2 against. The sales tax would be 1% over thirty years if approved by voters.
As mandated by state law, the proposal will be presented to the Atlanta Transit Link Authority for inclusion in their regional transit plan prior to being presented to the voters. Another BOC meeting, expected in early 2024, will vote on whether to – and how to – propose a referendum to voters in November 2024. For more details about the MSPLOST itself, see our recap of September’s Cobb Advisory Roundtable with Cobb DOT Director Drew Raessler.
During the BOC meeting, Commissioners Keli Gambrill and Joann Birrell expressed their opposition to the proposal, while Commissioners Jeri Richardson, Monique Sheffield, and Chairwoman Lisa N. Cupid supported it. Click here to access a video of their comments.
Of note, the same 3-2 majority approved $187,000 from the General Fund to be used in education about the MSPLOST. The Cumberland and Town Center CIDs will each contribute $50,000.