Judge rules bonds don't violate state Constitution

ATLANTA - A Superior Court judge has ruled that the state can issue $822 million in bonds to finance Georgia highway improvements. <br> <br> Opponents of the proposed Northern Arc filed suit on August 22, challenging the issuance of the bonds. <br> <br> The 59-mile toll road north of Atlanta has been put on hold by Governor Barnes and is not among those road projects. But the suit filed by members of the Northern Arc Task Force contented that the state plans to finance the arc with similar bonds. <br> <br> Judge Rowland Barnes, in his ruling, said the joint resolution between the state Road and Tollway Authority and the Georgia Department of Transportation is not a contract, which would violate the Georgia Constitution. <br> <br> The opinion, however, noted that if an existing unsigned draft contract between the authority and Transportaton Department were to be signed, it would be a constitutional violation.