Cobb County, Ga., pays consultant for public outreach ahead of transit referendum

By Taylor Croft | Atlanta Journal-Constitution

COBB COUNTY, GA. — The Cobb County Commission voted along party lines Tuesday to pay a consultant $287,000 to plan and help implement its public outreach campaign ahead of the anticipated transit ballot referendum this fall.

Kimley-Horn and Associates will develop “public education materials” including visual materials; key talking points; and website, social media and press materials. The consultant will also provide support at town hall and public meetings related to the transit tax.

The county presented the transit project list it plans to pitch to voters in a 1% mobility Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax lasting 30 years. While the commission has not yet voted to put the question on the ballot this November, the board’s Democratic majority is poised to do so over Republican opposition. The tax is estimated to collect $11 billion in 30 years.

If approved by the board, Cobb voters will decide whether the county will commit to a significant investment in public transit that, if passed on Election Day, would mark a major shift in the suburban county that famously opted out of MARTA in the 1960s.

The proposed transit plan includes an expansion of the local bus system, the addition of high-capacity transit options with bus and arterial rapid transit, an on-demand, countywide microtransit service, and facility and operational improvements.

The Town Center and Cumberland community improvement districts each contributed $50,000 toward the cost of the public outreach campaign, while the remaining $187,000 will come from the county’s general fund.

Republicans Keli Gambrill and JoAnn Birrell voted in opposition, as they have for nearly every agenda item related to the 2024 transit referendum.

“I understand we have to have public meetings and educate the public for the referendum, but I can’t support spending general fund money,” Birrell said.

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