With less than one month away to a major vote on transportation, Emerge Albany, the region’s premiere young professionals group, will host TSPLOST speaker and advocate Caitlyn Cooper this Friday, July 13 at the
Hilton Garden Inn downtown.

“There are still many people with questions about the TSPLOST,” said Emerge Chair Angela Rivera. “We thought it important to host someone from the campaign trail so our young professionals could get the facts.”

The July 31st referendum will give voters across the state an opportunity to tax themselves one penny on the dollar to generate upwards of $19 billion dollars worth of infrastructure and road improvements. In SW Georgia, the penny tax would generate more than $530 million dollars to pay for more than 70 regional road projects including the four-laning of SR 133 from Albany to Valdosta and the widening of Ledo and Dawson roads. Local communities will be allowed to keep 25% of the money raised to fund local transportation-related projects.

Cooper, a former Emerge Albany chair, recently joined the Georgia Chamber’s advocacy leg, Connect Georgia 2012, as the coordinator for South and Southwest Georgia. While she has spoken to numerous civic and professional groups
throughout the region, this is her first appearance at Emerge Albany, she said.

“Young people have a voice, and I know from my own professional experience that we cannot assume we have anyone’s vote,” Cooper said. “Young professionals are tomorrow’s leaders. It’s our duty to keep them engaged on issues that matter.”

The Friday forum featuring Cooper is part of the group’s ongoing Second Friday lunch meetings. The July 13 meeting is sponsored by Albany’s EMC Engineering.

For more information, contact Cherie Douthit at 434-8700 or via email at [email protected].