georgia #10, 2012

By Giles LambertsonCEG CORRESPONDENT

Two months from Georgia’s vote on atransportation sales tax referendum, the out-come still is in doubt. Advocates and oppo-nents of the special purpose local optionsales tax are cautiously optimistic that theirside will prevail, but neither camp has hardpolling data to justify the outlook.

“We clearly have our work cut out for us,”said Doug Calloway, who heads the GeorgiaTransportation Alliance wing of the stateChamber of Commerce. Hired away from asimilar executive position in Florida lastOctober, Calloway is lead man in the effortto pass the taxing authority in as many coun-ties as possible.

Legislators voted to give Georgiansacross the state a series of simultaneous localreferendum opportunities for funding trans-portation projects. If the one-cent sales tax isapproved in each of 12 regions or districts,Georgians will have handed themselves a$19 billion infusion of tax money over 10years for highway, transit, freight, airport,sea port, bicycle and pedestrian projects.

The projects were created in each districtby a roundtable and executive committeecomprised of state and local elected leaders.After assorted public input sessions, the par-ticipants chose from a list of projects workedup for each district by the GeorgiaDepartment of Transportation.

Not an Easy SaleDespite the obvious appeal of creating a

sizeable pool of money specifically ear-marked for much-needed transportationimprovements, many Georgians are turnedoff by the method of pooling—a sales taxthat will collect money from them for a fulldecade.

“It is a tax increase in a down economy.There is no given it will pass, not even inAtlanta,” said Keith Hatcher, senior directorof public policy of the Georgia Associationof Realtors. The association is very activelybacking the transportation tax, with both

state and national realtor associations donat-ing to the cause. The state association actu-ally is waging two campaigns simultaneous-ly, one statewide and a second one concen-trating on the metro Atlanta region.

“The [Transportation Alliance] campaignis deciding which districts are most viableand we will follow their lead,” Hatcher said.“The association has a network of 53 chap-ters across the state. I don’t know any localrealtors association that is not supporting it.We have made funds available to them.”

Why are realtors so involved in the cam-

paign coalition pushing the tax? There areseveral reasons, Hatcher said, all of themweighing on the economic impact of a dete-riorating transportation system.

“The most important reason is that wecan’t sell properties if people can’t get fromhome to work. On a larger scale, this is partof economic development, which we sup-port, working closely with the chamber. Andtraffic congestion is a factor. Charlotte andBirmingham and other cities in the southeastare using our traffic congestion against us.We want to eliminate that.”

Hatcher has worked in the association fora quarter century and been involved in avariety of statewide ballot issues. He hasworked both sides of the tax issue, on at leastone occasion helping defeat a proposed taxincrease. This time around, the associationsees wisdom in raising the sales tax.

“We are dedicated to this cause because itis really important,” he said. “So we aregoing to fight hard to pass it. It will be atough fight because of the down economy.”

Like everyone else who agreed to be

Vote on Ga.’s Transportation Sales Tax Draws Near

GEORGIA STATE EDITION A Supplement to:

Your Georgia Connection: Rich Olivier, Atlanta, GA • 1-800-409-1479

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The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT)awarded a design/build contract worth $18.1 millionfor the construction of a new interchange on I-575 atRidgewalk Parkway. Completion is scheduled for theend of December 2012.

see VOTE page 8

May 162012

Vol. XIV • No. 10

• May 16, 2012 • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • Georgia State Supplement • Construction Equipment Guide

LeeBoy’s New 815HD Screed Put Into Use on First JobThe World of Asphalt Show and

Conference, held March 13 to 15 inCharlotte, N.C., was an important event forVT LeeBoy Inc., as the company introducedits new Legend 815HD (Heavy Duty) screedto the industry at the event. The new screedwas displayed with a LeeBoy 8515B paver.The 815HD screed has taken the best

from LeeBoy’s regular Legend screed andmade it all bigger to offer commercial con-tractors enhanced performance on theirbiggest jobs. The LeeBoy 815HD screedgoes from 8 ft. (2.4 m) and the extension is15 ft. (4.5 m). This screed is an option on theLeeBoy models 8515 and 8510 and will bestandard on the new 8616 model that will beintroduced later in the summer. The screed isavailable in electric heat, rather thanpropane. Following its debut at The World of

Asphalt, both paver and screed were trans-ported to Reynolds-Warren EquipmentCompany in Lake City, Ga., to be preppedfor the first-ever contractor delivery of thenew screed. Once prepared for delivery, the entire

machine was then transported to Macon,Ga., and put in the hands of HoustonAsphalt, a family owned and operated busi-ness serving all of Georgia that has been inoperation since 1991. Houston Asphalt Owner Mark Buckland,

had pre-ordered the entire setup for immedi-ate use on a new apartment complex roadand parking lot paving job. Houston Asphaltalready has another LeeBoy 8515 in itsequipment lineup and was eager to try out atried-and-true paver model with the newscreed, which Buckland had seen demoed inNorth Carolina. “We went to North Carolina and viewed

the demo machine and I liked the way it per-formed. I noticed the difference in the mat,

you could really tell the difference with thisnew screed,” Buckland said. “That’s whatled us to buy a new paver with the newscreed. We usually have about three jobsgoing on at once and we run nothing butLeeBoy 8515s on our jobs.”Steve Meissen owner of Reynolds-

Warren Equipment (Georgia LeeBoy dealer)has been doing business with Buckland formore than 20 years, said, “This is the firstscreed of this design in operation anywherein the country. Mark upgrades his equipmenton a regular basis, but was impressed withthis new screed when we made the trip toNorth Carolina together to see a demo of itin testing. They were paving a big job upthere and both of us wanted to see it and wewere talking to the contractor that had it inhis hands for several months for testing and

were impressed with the mat it lays. We haveseveral pavers ordered with the HD screedand we’ll be able to use Mark as an exampleif someone wants to see how the screedworks. Mark’s one of my favorite customers.He’s a very honest man and his reputation inthe paving field is hard to beat. We’ve justgot a great working relationship.”Brian Hall, territory manager, MidSouth

Region LeeBoy, Suwanee, Ga., added,“We’re really proud that these guys chose tobe the first one out of the block with our newscreed. We really think it’s going to performwell for them and hopefully they’ll be readyfor the next one in a few years.”

(This story also can be found onConstruction Equipment Guide’s Web site atwww.constructionequipmentguide.com.)CEG

(L-R): Steve Meissen of Reynolds-Warren EquipmentCo. and Brian Hall of LeeBoy discuss the operation ofthe new machine/screed combo with HoustonAsphalt’s Mark Buckland.

The LeeBoy HD screed is available in electric heat only— not propane.

One week before taking delivery of the new machineand screed combination, Houston Asphalt’s MarkBuckland (C), visits with his new machine on displayin LeeBoy’s display at World of Asphalt in Charlotte,N.C., with LeeBoy’s Brian Hall (L) and Mike Lee.

Mark Buckland, is both owner andmachine operator of Houston Asphalt,Macon, Ga.

Houston Asphalt is the first contractor ever to purchase and put into service thenew LeeBoy HD screed on a paving job.

Construction Equipment Guide • Georgia State Supplement • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • May 16, 2012 •

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GUCA Holds SuccessfulSpring Quarterly MeetingGUCA hosted its 2012 Spring Quarterly

Meeting/Trade Show and Hard Hat SafetyAward Gala on March 22, 2012, at theLoudermilk Center in Atlanta, Ga., withmore than 135 members and guests in atten-dance.The day started off with Safety Directors

Forum, which included Workers’Compensation — What Do You ReallyKnow About It? by Tom Maupin, BuildersInsurance Group; Utility Damage ClaimAvoidance and Defense by Ralph Byrd,Utility Business Services; and, DistractedDriving, The True Cost and Safety, How ItAffects your Bottom Line by Bob Wilson,National Safety Council.The Safety Directors Forum was followed

by the 2012 GUCA Spring Trade Show,which featured many new products andtechniques pertaining to the utility contract-ing industry. Once the trade show doorsopened, contractors and other members inattendance entered where GUCA vendorspromoted their company services on 6-ft.tradeshow table-top displays. GUCA mem-bers and guests enjoyed spirits and networkintimately with other GUCA members andindustry professionals. More than 19 tradeshow tables filled the

Loudermilk Center. Trade show participantsincluded: 3M; Alithicon LubricantsCompany; The Blue Book; Bobcat ofAtlanta; Georgia 811; H&H InsuranceServices Inc.; Hanson Pipe & Precast; Large& Gilbert PC; Rain for Rent; SunbeltRentals Pump & Power Services; T.T.Technologies; Thompson Pump andManufacturing; Tindall Corporation; Tractor

& Equipment Company; Trench ShoringServices; United Rentals Trench Safety;United Safety Associates Inc.; VerizonWireless; and Vermeer Southeast Sales &Service.The business meeting began as GUCA

President Charlie Murren, C.A. Murren &Sons Company Inc. welcomed everyone tothe event. Mo Thrash, GUCA lobbyist, presented

the 2012 Legislative update highlighting thehuge success of the 2012 GUCA Lobby

Day. Thrash highlighted the legislativeatmosphere at the Capitol and what was tobe expected before Sine Die. He stated taxrelief was high on the legislator’s agenda thisyear.Thrash presented Charlie Murren with a

proclamation signed by Gov. Nathan Dealstating March 22, 2012, as Utility ContractorSafety Day.The keynote speaker was Tim Echols,

chairman Georgia Public ServiceCommission. Echols gave a 10 point presen-tation about legislative advocacy.The business meeting continued with

GUCA Safety Committee Chairman MattChatham, Blount Construction Co. Inc.,announcing the 2011 GUCA Hard HatSafety Award Category winners.For more information, visit

www.guca.com.

GUCA President Charlie Murren poses with JosephMoody of Turpin Inc., winner in the 0-100,000 Man-Hours Pipeline Contractor category.

(L-R) are GUCA President Charlie Murren, John Harpand Ricky Harp, both of Richard Harp Excavation Inc.Richard Harp won in the category of 100,000+ Man-Hours Pipeline Contractor.

(L-R) are Matt Graves and Brad Cole, both of BradCole Construction, and GUCA President CharlieMurren. The category was 400,000+ Man-Hours PlantContractor.

GUCA Lobbyist Mo Thrash (L) presentsGUCA President Charlie Murren with theSafety Day Proclamation signed by Gov.Nathan Deal.

(L-R) are GUCA President Charlie Murren, Michael Purvis and Maudine Wright,both of Douglas Electrical & Plumbing Company. The category was 0-400,000 Man-Hours Plant Contractor and overall winner.


We stock a variety of specialized machines including: long reach excavators, excavators mounted with hammers (all sizes), shears (including large industrial cutters), and other demolition equipment. Cowin also stocks a very broadrange of general equipment including artic trucks, rollers, cranes, brooms, wheel loaders, loader backhoes, dozers, etc.

• May 16, 2012 • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • Georgia State Supplement • Construction Equipment Guide Construction Equipment Guide • Georgia State Supplement • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • May 16, 2012 • Page 7

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©2012 Caterpillar All rights reserved. CA

800.446.5131ATTASUGAU

TERPILLAR, their respective logos, “Caterpillar Y, CA ATERPILLAR, their respective logos, “Caterpillar YTT, CA s reserved. CA AT

800.299.5010ICKSWBRUN

ellowTERPILLAR, their respective logos, “Caterpillar Y

800.633.5240COLUMBUICK

,” the “Power Edge” trade dress as well as corporate and product identity used herein, are trademarks of Caterpillar and mayellow

866.487.2228KENNE

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800.755.8382VAAVS

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• May 16, 2012 • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • Georgia State Supplement • Construction Equipment Guide Construction Equipment Guide • Georgia State Supplement • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • May 16, 2012 •

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©2012 Caterpillar All rights reserved. CA

800.446.5131ATTASUGAU

TERPILLAR, their respective logos, “Caterpillar Y, CA ATERPILLAR, their respective logos, “Caterpillar YTT, CA s reserved. CA AT

800.299.5010ICKSWBRUN

ellowTERPILLAR, their respective logos, “Caterpillar Y

800.633.5240COLUMBUICK

,” the “Power Edge” trade dress as well as corporate and product identity used herein, are trademarks of Caterpillar and mayellow

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800.755.8382VAAVS

866.487.2228WAAWSKENNE


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interviewed, Hatcher will not venture aguess as to the outcome. “To be honest, it is a little early, and I

learned a long time ago that predictions arenot a smart thing to do.”

Contractor SupportThe general contractor community is sup-

portive of the tax initiative, as one wouldexpect, though there seems to be some reluc-tance to talk about it. Several calls to con-tractors and to the Georgia HighwayContractors Association were not returned.However, Web sites openly back the tax.Bill Hammack, president of C.W.

Matthews Contracting Company Inc.,Marietta, Ga., addresses the issue for com-pany employees in a video on thecwmatthews.com Web site. Hammack asksemployees to back “the largest transporta-tion initiative in modern times. Please plan tovote ‘Yes’ on July 31 for a brighter future forGeorgia, your company and your family…Collectively our votes can dramaticallyaffect the outcome of this important referen-dum.”The appeal is more muted on the Web site

of Macon-based Reeves ConstructionCompany. “The 2012 TSPLOST [Transportation-

Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax] isan opportunity for all Georgians to take con-trol of their future by choosing to make sig-nificant investments in transportation proj-ects that are vital to the economy, jobs andquality of life throughout the state,” reads thetext of the message on the site under theheadline, “Should we invest an additionalpenny?”The message goes on to encourage people

to register to vote in July “and spread theword to your family and friends.” The Georgia branch of Associated

General Contractors has no mention of thereferendum on its Web site, though its direc-tor of governmental affairs has said theorganization is supportive of the tax. Nor does the state chapter of Associated

Builders and Contractors (ABC) visit theissue on its Web site, but Bill Anderson,president of Georgia ABC, said the organi-zation is behind the initiative. The chapter’sboard of directors has endorsed it and hopesfor its passage. No funds have been allocat-ed for the campaign, however.“Our chapter has not put any money into

it and I’m not sure if we will or if it will beneeded,” Anderson said. “Ours is more of agrassroots effort, with volunteers whobelieve in it and support it.”ABC has about 300 member companies

in Georgia, some of which might oppose thesales tax boost, Anderson said. Because theboard fairly recently voted to back the meas-

ure, it has not yet spread word to its mem-bers. “We put the word out to our legislative

people, but have not yet sent anything out tothe full membership and, of course, have notreceived any feedback.”The heart of ABC’s efforts will be educat-

ing association members and the public onthe merits of the initiative and its importanceto the entire region. Anderson calls the edu-cation “so critical. There have been a lot ofemotions expressed, but not a lot of efforts toeducate.”

Not ConvincedThe most visible opponents of the multi-

billion-dollar sales tax fall under the umbrel-la of “Tea Party” organizations. Tea Partiersup and down the state have uniformly comeout against the sales tax proposal for a vari-ety of reasons.For some of them, just the idea of another

tax in a struggling economy is a non-starter.That knee-jerk negative response to addi-tional taxation is the default perception ofTea Party supporters, though resistance tothe sales tax actually is more variegated thanthat.“We believe it is a very flawed law,” said

Tom Maloy, a board member of the GeorgiaTea Party, which is actually a Cobb County

organization with spillover into surroundingcounties, all of which are in the Atlanta area. “The law does not serve the taxpayers of

the Atlanta region. We haven’t gotten intothe effect of it on the other regions in thestate, but we have done a lot of research onthe Atlanta region and we don’t see that itserves us well,” Maloy said.Maloy is a financial writer and retired

owner of a Marietta investment relationsfirm. He has not always been active in polit-ical debates, but concern about out-of-con-trol spending in the country caused him tojoin the local Tea Party organization shortlyafter its inception three years ago. It holdsweekly meetings that attract anywhere from50 to 120 people.One objection to the transportation sales

tax is that it doesn’t effectively address theissue of jammed freeways. “It does not provide the traffic congestion

relief that proponents say it does,” Maloystated. “As a percentage of total funding,very little goes to traffic congestion relief.” Maloy cited as an example of misapplied

spending the proposed expenditure of $785million on a leg of the transit link fromCumberland Mall to the Atlanta Arts Centerstation, a stretch “where there really is veryminor traffic congestion. I won’t say it won’tdo anything, but it certainly doesn’t do any-

thing much to relieve congestion.”He also fears that passage of the 10-year

sales tax will sour taxpayers on approvingtax funding for future projects. “I know in the Atlanta region I can pretty

much tell you that the amount of taxpayerdollars going in is going to cause a lot ofproblems down the road. It is not being spentfor traffic relief, so that when we do take aserious look at traffic congestion, there willbe no money for it,” he said, mixing hismetaphors in summation: “It poisons thewater down the road for taxpayers.”Maloy and fellow Tea Party volunteers

also believe the sales tax revenue will buildmiles of infrastructure — including light railsystems — that cannot be maintained in thefuture for lack of funding. And he is con-cerned about so much “economic develop-ment” money being handed to an unelectedAtlanta regional commission that is notanswerable to taxpayers for its stewardshipof the funds.Maloy reiterated that his focus is the

Atlanta region. “I’m not going to say that inall regions it is not going to do any good.Certainly there is a need to improve the portin Savannah, for example, and the roadsleading to it. There is certainly a need forthat.”The Georgia Tea Party’s major contribu-

tion to the debate between now and July 31will be education. Like counterparts at ABCof Georgia, Maloy believes there is too littletruth in his opponents’ advertising. “I’m talking about real education, not the

pseudo-education of the opposition,” hesaid. “Many of the ‘facts’ they are using arenot true, or they are just nonsense.”Unlike others asked for predictions,

Maloy ventured an opinion: He said he feels“pretty good” about the referendum failingin Cobb County, if the turnout is large. Andif it fails across the metro Atlanta region, hesuspects only two counties — Fulton andDekalb — will have favored it.The irony is that even if Cobb rejects the

sales tax, the sales tax will be collected inCobb County anyway if the region as awhole passes it. Individual counties can’t optout of the sales tax, only entire regions,which is why Maloy objects to the tax votebeing called a “local option.” Furthermore, ifCobb turns it down, the county will have toput up a higher match for state funding oflocal projects associated with the referen-dum. “That shouldn’t really make a difference

in how a person votes, but it’s a way to kindof frighten taxpayers,” stated Maloy.

Increased FocusWith the legislative session ended and the

Republican primary season drawing to a

Contractors, ‘Tea Partiers’ Represent Opposite Viewpoints

Work started on SR 307, which crosses an area railroad grade, on Aug. 10, 2010.The project was slated to be completed by March 31, 2012.

VOTE from page 1

see VOTE page 10


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Increasing Voter Awareness Key to Passing Referendumclose, promotion of the transportation salestax referendum is getting under way inearnest.“The majority of people aren’t even aware

it is on the ballot,” said Jason O’Rouke,political director of the TransportationAlliance. “In the polling we do have, we seethat when voters understand the money isgoing to stay in the region, they are morelikely to vote yes. We just have to get peopleto understand and get them to the polls.”The various advocacy projects cost

money and O’Rouke said fundraisers arebeing held to collect the money. As of mid-April, the supporters of the tax had severalhundred thousand dollars in hand with a goalof raising $6 million, a task that the politicaldirector acknowledges will be difficult.The Alliance is campaigning with the

intent of winning the vote in all 12 regions,but realistically will settle for less than that.Counties in the northwest corner of the stateconstitute “a tougher region,” O’Rouke said,and anti-tax opponents across the state areexpected to have some success on July 31.“We are committed as if we are going to

pass it in 11 regions [the Atlanta region has aseparate campaign structure], but no one hasreally set a hard goal. If we pass one, that isa good thing,” O’Rouke said. “The goodthing about this is that, two years from now,the people can come back and try it again.”That’s because the language of the refer-

endum lets counties that reject the tax recon-

sider it in a second round of balloting 24months later.But Calloway, the Georgia Transportation

Alliance executive director, isn’t thinking interms of voting again two years from now.

He is optimistic.“We are heading in the right direction,

raising money, have partners all across thestate. Is it a tall order? Absolutely. But at theend of the day, this is the only game in

town.”(This story also can be found on

Construction Equipment Guide’s Web site atwww.constructionequipmentguide.com.)CEG

According to GDOT statistics, the accident, injury and fatality rates along portions of SR20 have exceeded the statewide aver-age in recent years. It’s expected improvements in Cherokee County and other sections of the route will reduce future wrecks.

VOTE from page 8

Yancey to Supply 17 Diesel Generator Sets for GPA ProjectCaterpillar Inc. announced recently that the Georgia Ports

Authority (GPA) has signed an agreement to purchase 17generator sets powered by Tier IV Interim certified Cat C15Acert engines as part of an ongoing effort at the Port ofSavannah to upgrade older rubber-tired gantry cranes (RTG)with cleaner technology.Atlanta-based Cat dealer Yancey Bros. Co. will adapt the

diesel generator sets with customized enclosures and mountsfor installation into 17 RTGs. The project will start in the firstquarter of 2011, with staged upgrades scheduled for comple-tion within 12 months.The repower project will replace the non-regulated and

Tier I diesel generator sets originally installed on the RTGswith advanced power generation equipment featuring clean-er, more efficient Tier IV Interim certified Cat C15 engines.To further reduce fuel consumption and emissions, the RTGswill be outfitted with new controls that will automaticallyshift the engines between idle and higher operating speeds tooptimize efficiency and meet variable load demands.“A key part of the Georgia Ports Authority’s mission is to

maintain the natural quality of the environment, and thisrepowering project will significantly reduce emissions andour fuel consumption,” said Curtis Foltz, GPA’s executive

director. “It is critical for us to demonstrate global excellencein all aspects of our operations as we look to nearly doubleport capacity within the next ten years, and these diesel gen-erator sets from Caterpillar will help us fulfill our commit-ment to environmental leadership while increasing our pro-ductivity.”The use of the new Cat generator sets in the 17 cranes is

expected to reduce emissions of NOx by more than 60 per-cent and emissions of particulate matter by more than 80 per-cent. Once complete, GPA expects the RTG repower projectwill reduce total annual diesel fuel consumption by 129,200gal. (409,075 L).“As one of the leading port facilities in North America, the

Georgia Ports Authority has a well-deserved reputation formaking quantum leaps in productivity while maintaining thehighest standards for sustainability and environmentalresponsibility,” said Eric Arnold, vice president of the PowerSystems division of Yancey Bros. Co. “By leveragingCaterpillar’s advanced technologies and Yancey’s consider-able hands-on expertise, this repower project will substan-tially extend the lifetime of the Port of Savannah’s busy fleetof RTGs through state-of-the-art generator sets that willincrease efficiency and dramatically reduce emissions.”

Designed for standby, prime and load management appli-cations, the diesel generator set powered by the Cat C15engine offers highly competitive service intervals, fuel con-sumption rates and power density. With ratings of 500 ekW(standby) and 455 ekW (prime), this is the first mid-rangegenerator set from Caterpillar available with Tier IV Interimcertification. Utilizing an electronically controlled air-man-agement system, the advanced emissions control on theengine lowers combustion temperature and decreases NOxoutput, meeting EPA-regulated levels without the need foraftertreatment.“With millions of dollars in research and development

validated by nearly one million hours of testing, Caterpillarhas demonstrated its leadership in Tier IV Interim//StageIIIB technology,” said Robert Koval, global product directorof Caterpillar Electric Power Division. “The repoweringproject at the Port of Savannah illustrates the economic andenvironmental benefits customers can achieve as a result ofCaterpillar’s investment in cleaner engines and integratedemissions reduction techniques.”

(This story also can be found on ConstructionEquipment Guide’s Web site at www.constructionequip-mentguide.com.) CEG


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georgia #10, 2012

Documents

transportation tax

tax issue

tax increase

cent sales tax

infusion of tax money

localrealtors association

state association actually

pedestrian projects