The AJC reported a couple days back that it was revealed at a Wednesday agency board briefing that the “cash-strapped” Georgia Department of Transportation would need to put aside $75 million of its $1.8 billion annual budget to pay for “cost overruns on projects it rushed to bid during the flush years of the construction boom.”

At the time, GDOT was under pressure from Governor Perdue’s “Flash Forward” program, which hoped to cram 18 years of construction projects into 6. Ah, the tempting illusions – or shall I say “delusions”? – of growth.

But that’s not all…

The $75 million is one payment of several. As of 2008, said Angela Whitworth, DOT’s director of finance, the overruns added up to about $250 million, but DOT has been paid them down to about $158 million. The agency plans to set aside $50 million in the next fiscal year and $25 million the year after that.

DOT is also paying $185 million annually in debt service for the original cost of the projects, according to DOT officials. Last year the agency spent $1 billion on road projects.

Sonny shocks the metro and beyond.  From 11alive…

Stunning lawmakers and observers alike, Gov. Sonny Perdue signed both texting-while-driving bills passed by the state legislature this session.

Effective July 1, texting and driving will be banned for drivers of all ages.

Additionally, all cell-phone use while driving will be illegal for motorists 18 and younger.

And P.S., it looks like I was wrong when I said 11alive had Senate Bill 360 incorrect earlier this week.  Though the bill originally only banned texting-while-driving for those under 18, it was amended to include all drivers.

Sonny just signed the great-victory/too-little-too-late transportation bill.  So says the Atlanta Business Chronicle…

Gov. Sonny Perdue Wednesday signed a long-awaited transportation funding bill that will let voters in metro Atlanta and other Georgia communities decide whether to tax themselves to pay for needed highway and transit improvements.

Go forth and do good taxing.

Well THIS is an interesting way to frame this debate…

For the first time since the news broke five days ago, Governor Sonny Perdue spoke on why he might veto the adult texting-while-driving ban currently at his desk.

“I’ve got some concerns over the enforceability of that,” Perdue said at a news conference today

The governor has until June 8th to sign all bills into law. The bill in question is S.B. 360, also known as Caleb’s Law. It bans texting while driving for anyone 18 and [younger]; the problematic area is the part that makes it illegal to “read any text based communication.”

Here is Perdue’s example to describe why enforcing that part could be an issue.

“If I get my e-mails and I pick up a smart-phone and read my e-mails, I’m violating the law. But if I print out my e-mails and I have a sheet of paper driving [and look at it], then I haven’t violated the law.

“So those are some of the concerns, and none of this business is black and white.”

The governor was quick to point out that he has not yet made up his mind on the matter.

If I could get past my suspicion that Sonny’s position actually has more to do with preserving an individual’s right to do whatever over the safety of others, I would ask, how important a factor is “enforceability” in determining the validity of a law?

P.S.  11alive made a big fat error and said that S.B. 360 pertained to adults 18 AND OLDER.  It’s actually 18 and YOUNGER.  Therefore I edited the quoted text above.

h/t: Political Insider

UPDATE: Details of the bill courtesy of the AJC…[thanks to Steve for pointing it out!]

According to the committee members, the bill (HB 277, formerly HB 1218) would still divide the state into 12 predefined regions, allowing each region to submit a referendum to voters for a 1 percent sales tax to fund a list of projects within the region. However, there’s a change allowing more local choice.

Please, please, please…

The General Assembly Tuesday was on the brink of breaking a logjam on transportation funding has been dragged on for three years.

Members of a House-Senate conference committee took up a proposal on Tuesday afternoon that is similar to legislation introduced into the House earlier this year on behalf of Gov. Sonny Perdue.

….The compromise on the table also would lift for three years restrictions on MARTA’s ability to put all of its sales tax revenue toward maintenance and operations.

…The conferees plan to meet again at 4 p.m. and could sign a long-awaited agreement at that time.