Updated measure has no additional fees; funds go directly to trauma network
DOUGLAS, GA (May 4, 2010) – The critically-needed funding for Georgia’s trauma care network has new light in a Senate resolution authored by State Sen. Greg Goggans (R-Douglas). Senate Resolution 140, the Georgia Trauma Trust Fund of 2012, would create a dedicated revenue stream to aid Georgia’s vastly underfunded statewide trauma care network.
“I made a commitment to the people who elected me that I would work to improve the quality of life for my district and the state of Georgia,” said Goggans. “Well, it’s time to take action and save lives. Many experts believe this funding mechanism could save over one-thousand lives a year. I personally believe it can save more than that. We must find a plan that will effectively upgrade our trauma infrastructure and enhance the statewide response readiness capabilities. If we do not enact a dedicated funding system to make that happen, that plan is destined to fail.”
SR 140 proposes a statewide referendum for voters to adopt a Constitutional amendment which would subtract $10 from every vehicle registration fee in Georgia and appropriate it to a dedicated trust fund to improve and expand Georgia’s trauma care network. The amendment raises no fees or taxes, and the Georgia General Assembly has no ability to use those funds for anything besides trauma care as it will not be included in the general revenue collections.
South Georgia in particular is often cited as being in the most urgent of need to establish more trauma care centers. Goggans mentioned for example that many people refer to the Interstate 75 corridor between Macon and the Florida border as the “Corridor of Death” due to the lack of sufficient trauma care.
Goggans cited some very troubling statistics from the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety that have made the trauma care issue one he has championed during this time in the state Senate:
- Georgia has 150 acute care hospitals but only 15 designated trauma care centers
- Over 1 million Georgians live 50 miles away from a Level 1 trauma center; that puts them and many Georgia commuters driving through much of the state way past the “golden hour” when emergency responders have the greatest chance to save a life
- In metro Atlanta, one fatality occurs in every 339 accidents. In rural Georgia that number is one fatality in every 74 accidents
Senate Resolution 277, the original trauma funding measure, asked voters to add $10 to each vehicle registration and be placed in the trust fund. The measure overwhelmingly passed in the General Assembly and was placed on the 2010 ballot as a proposed Constitutional amendment. The resolution ultimately fell short of being adopted 53 percent to 47 percent, a difference of approximately 130,000 votes.
“Based on the outcome it was evident many voters saw this as more of a tax increase and did not trust the government with more of their money which I can understand,” stated Goggans. “But at the same time, many of those same voters recognize the urgent need of strengthening our trauma network and want an effective solution to address it. I’ve often said trauma care is expensive, but not having trauma care is more expensive because it costs lives. The $10 that will go solely to trauma funding equates to less than 3 cents a day for every person in the state. You cannot put a price on the value of a life, but 3 cents a day is a great deal for potentially life-saving trauma care.”
If adopted by the General Assembly, Goggans expects SR 140 will be placed on the 2012 election ballot for consideration by Georgia voters.
Sen. Greg Goggans represents the 7th Senate District, which includes Atkinson, Bacon, Berrien, Clinch, Coffee, Echols, Lanier, Pierce and Ware counties and a portion of Cook County.
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release:
February 10, 2011
For Information Contact:
Matt Colvin, Broadcast Director
matthew.colvin@senate.ga.gov
404.656.0028