Big Companies Looking to Locate Jobs: "They want to see tracks"

Cobb growth collides with anti-tax views. Atlanta Forward: The future of regional transportation. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 5/27/2011)

Excerpt:   Cobb is one of metro Atlanta’s economic engines, home to companies such as Home Depot, Lockheed Martin and WellStar Health System. But there’s concern that congested roads will dampen the hopes of enticing more businesses to the area.

The tension in Cobb on the transportation issue has been building.

Cobb’s two self-taxing commercial property districts, Cumberland and Town Center, have jump-started much of the transit planning and will support the education campaign for the transportation referendum.

Malaika Rivers, director of the Cumberland district, said that when big companies are thinking where to locate jobs these days, “They want to see tracks.”

Still, the districts have taken some heat for that support, and residents have repeatedly spoken out against the county for funding various transportation studies while it is facing financial difficulties and considering cuts to its existing county bus service.