By Shannon McCaffrey

The Associated Press

ATLANTA — Calling Georgia’s transportation bureaucracy “broken,” the state’s Republican leaders on Thursday proposed a sweeping reorganization that would alter the way money flows to road, transit and bridge projects.

The plan would give the state Legislature and the governor far more power in distributing transportation dollars, a move designed to make more accountable a department mired in financial troubles.

The metro Atlanta area has among the worst commute times in the nation and transportation spending in Georgia has lagged behind the state’s explosive population growth.

An audit showed the department had promised more projects than it could deliver and the department is facing a steep budget shortfall.

Business leaders have been lobbying hard for additional transportation money, saying the state’s clogged roads have turned away businesses interested in locating in Georgia.

Gov. Sonny Perdue said Thursday the answer is not to pour money on the problem.

“I believe we have been funneling money into a poorly designed system,” Perdue said. “You can put jet fuel in an old family sedan but if the transmission’s bad that power is not going to get to those back wheels and you’re not going to get where you want to go.”

Perdue drew up the proposal with Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle and House Speaker Glenn Richardson, who joined him Thursday at the Capitol to announce the initiative.

“It is clear to me the current system that we have is broken,” Cagle said.

“Our goal is simple: to create a strategic statewide method by which projects are planned, financed and implemented with true transparency and accountability.”

The plan would replace the 13-person state transportation board that is now elected by the state legislative delegations from each congressional district with an 11-member panel appointed by the three leaders. Five members would be appointed by the governor, and three each by the lieutenant governor and the speaker of the House.

The plan would merge the State Road and Tollway Authority and the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority into a new state transportation authority.

The state’s motor fuel tax would remain dedicated to road and bridge projects. But transportation funds would be appropriated by state lawmakers.

The reorganization plan, which must pass the Senate and the House, comes as separate proposals advance in the House and the Senate to boost the sales tax to provide additional money for transportation.

A bill by Sen. Jeff Mullis, R-Chickamauga, passed in the state Senate that would allow local communities to band together and ask voters to approve a 1 percent sales tax increase for transportation. A key House committee on Thursday approved a competing bill that would impose a 1 percent sales tax increase statewide with voter approval.

A statement from the state Department of Transportation said the multiple efforts “signify a renewed focus on transportation and it is finally getting the attention it deserves.”

“We trust that the Governor, Lt. Governor, Speaker and members of the General Assembly will identify the best approach to address the state’s short-term and long-term transportation needs,” the department said.