Strong leadership, voter trust and an emphasis on economic prosperity are three reasons a Forsyth County, GA commissioner believes a $200 million transportation bond was successfully passed by voters on November 4.

In an op-ed to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution December 1, Brian Tam discusses the key takeaways from the yearlong campaign for transportation funding approval.

Tam lists several reasons that contributed to the success of the bond, including:

  • Forsyth County’s fiscally-responsible reputation, including a AAA bond rating;
  • Developing a transportation project list which would appeal to the County Board of Commissioners and members of the community;
  • Emphasizing the importance of transportation development to the county’s economic prosperity. By pointing out critical transportation projects, such as the widening of Georgia 400, would decrease traffic and therefore make Forsyth County a more desirable place to do business, transportation advocates were able to appeal to community members who were hesitant to support the measure; and
  • Community leaders demonstrating their confidence in the measure.

In addition, the $200 million bond also received $90 million in matching state and federal funds upon approval. Voters passed the bond by 63%.