Key groups join the Transportation Leadership Coalition in its opposition to the preamble of the T-SPLOST ballot question.

From Georgia Pundit (gapundit.com), June 22, 2012

The Atlanta Tea Party and Georgia Conservatives in Action joined the Transportation Leadership Coalition in its opposition to the preamble of the T-SPLOST ballot question.

The groups called on the governor, attorney general and secretary of state to remove the offending language, but stopped short of saying if they would sue to have it removed.

“Stay tuned,” Staver said. Debbie Dooley, co-organizer of the Atlanta Tea Party, said they are consulting with attorneys.

Secretary of State Brian Kemp, however, said the legislation creating the tax instructed regional groups to create project lists for the proposed tax based on a set of criteria specifically outlined in state law. That law includes job creation and traffic relief.

“Ultimately, the language in the preamble is all referenced in the original legislation that was passed over three years ago,” Kemp said in a statement. “The preamble language exists for this reason and this reason only.”

As local boards of elections have already begun mailing absentee ballots, it’s probably too late to strike the language from the ballot.

Lt. Governor Casey Cagle was in Albany to speak on behalf of the T-SPLOST for the Georgia Chamber of Commerce’s Connect Georgia campaign.

“We believe when we look at Georgia that we’ve got to make significant investments and send a strong message to the companies across the world that are looking to locate here in Georgia that we’re open for business and that we’re making the strategic investment that they’re looking for in order to make their investment in our communities,” said Cagle.