On July 31, 2012, Georgia residents had the opportunity to vote on a referendum that would have funded $8.5 billion in transportation improvements through a regional one percent sales tax. This referendum failed to pass in all but three counties within the state.
Although the inability to pass this referendum will limit transportation funding in many regions of the state, valuable lessons were taken from this experience. First and foremost was a message that there is an important need for public agencies to work to restore trust with the public.