DEKALB COUNTY, GA (CBS ATLANTA) -
In DeKalb County, the fight over the Transportation Investment Act centers on rail projects.
Now the NAACP wants members to vote "No" because they don't believe there's sufficient public transportation in the county.
If the referendum passes, DeKalb County would receive $700 million for a new MARTA line. That project would connect Atlanta to Decatur.
But the civil rights organization said none of the money that would be spent benefits the county's African-American population.
"We are all interested in growth and development and the whole nine yards, but there's got to be some equity," DeKalb County NAACP Vice President Lance Hammond said. "You cannot take advantage of our citizens."
DeKalb County Deputy Chief Operating Officer Ted Rhinehart said he can't advocate one way or another for the plan, but told CBS Atlanta if passed it will benefit everyone in the county.
"It's really the totality of what's in the program that is important for the next 10 years," Rhinehart said. "The economic development, the transit improvements are the highest profile, but there is also a lot of ground level improvements that are also in there that people should consider."
The public will decide on the referendum on July 31.
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