Given metro Atlanta's stinging rejection of the T-SPLOST, it's easy to forget that the measure didn't entirely go down in flames elsewhere. One of the three regions that passed it was the "River Valley District": basically the greater Columbus area. So how did they do it? In this case, it seems like simplicity made all the difference. With a budget of $200,000 (as opposed to metro Atlanta's $8M) the campaign managed to help the T-SPLOST pass with the highest margin in the state. The message was short and sweet: YES on transportation. And instead of shying away from the fact that the goal was a new tax, they carefully embraced it. Calling it a penny tax was avoided - the 1% figure was used - and emphasis was placed on the fact that it'll only be in place for ten years. Lesson learned?
· GeorgiaForward: how Columbus region passed transportation tax [Saporta Report]