A new poll released Feb. 15 has found a majority of Georgia voters support increasing the state gas tax in order to fund transportation projects.

The poll, conducted by Wilson Perkins Allen Opinion Research on behalf of the Georgia Transportation Alliance, surveyed 603 likely voters by phone using Registration Based Sampling to stratify the sample based on geography, age, gender and ethnicity. The margin of error for the three-day survey was ±4.0 percent in 95 out of 100 cases. The poll found:

  • 98 percent of voters believe roads and bridges are important for Georgia’s economic and job growth;
  • 51 percent believe Georgia is allocating too little revenue for transportation infrastructure;
  • 61 percent think the state should fund transit systems— including 56 percent of Republican respondents, 56 percent of Independent respondents, and 75 percent of Democrat respondents;
  • 53 percent support investing an additional $1.5 billion in Georgia’s transportation infrastructure—including 43 percent of Republican respondents, 52 percent of Independent respondents, and 67 percent of Democrat respondents;
  • 53 percent would reelect a legislator who voted to increase the state gas tax— including 54 percent of Republican respondents, 48 percent of Independent respondents, and 59 percent of Democrat respondents; and
  • 57 percent would be willing to pay more in gas tax if the generated revenue would be used for transportation infrastructure— including 57 percent of Republican respondents, 56 percent of Independent respondents, and 60 percent of Democrat respondents.

To learn more about the poll, visit: http://www.peachpundit.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/GATA_GA-Statewide-Transportation-Study_Memo_150216.pdf