DOT Returns Revised Transportation Wish List to Atlanta Region (tax, cost)

[K-SawDude]

Originally Posted by arjay57

I sure wouldn't underestimate them. They defeated the trauma care fee, which was strongly supported by doctors and by the business community. It was only a once a year $10 fee which would have been added to your tag.

And I'd have to think the Tea Party is a whole lot stronger now than it was then.

Trauma funding vote must overcome distaste for new taxes *| ajc.com

That was one of the grossest outcomes of the last election, IMO. It also doesn't seem all that "Christian" to me to oppose such an initiative, either. (I realize not all who voted "No" on it were Christian, but I suspect over 90% of no voters and the tea party are Christian or Christian-leaning in outlook. In any case, I thought a common fundamental tenant of religious folks is to help assist the infirm, the weak. And the rural areas of the state are woefully undersupported with trauma and emergency care. I just don't get the lack of caring here. All for a measly $10, which would be less than most blow on lottery tickets in a month or a crappy Applebee's entree. Sigh....)

[brownhornet]

I'd vote yes simply for the rail from Cumberland into town. That would be oh so lovely.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by K-SawDude

That was one of the grossest outcomes of the last election, IMO. It also doesn't seem all that "Christian" to me to oppose such an initiative, either.

It was a shame to defeat that trauma care measure. It wasn't a general tax, but a specific, dedicated funding source that would only go toward beefing up the statewide trauma system.

As to whether it's Christian, that's beside the point. You don't have to be Christian to be prepared and compassionate, nor do you have to be Christian to get yourself (or your family) smashed up in a wreck.

Oh, well. It's like a lot of things. The people who fuss about paying for things are often the very ones who scream bloody murder when they need something and find out it's not there.

[qjbusmaster]

This tax is actually very transit oriented

[testa50]

Originally Posted by qjbusmaster

This tax is actually very transit oriented

Yeah, even the 40% transit scenario means $2+ billion for mass transit. That's a gamechanger. And it's not like our investment in roads has been sufficient regardless.

Also, we're a massive logistics hub (#3 in the nation by some measures), so having a good road system is kinda important.

[toll_booth]

Originally Posted by NuclearDensity

GDOT Returns Revised Transportation Wish List to Atlanta Region

This is incredible progress for the 10-county Metro Atlanta Region. If the voter referendum passes next summer 2012, it will be the first time in Georgia history that transportion funds and projects were applied and executed in a coordinated method across county lines. The vote will be all or none for the 10-county Metro Atlanta Region - It is not a county-by-county vote. Different political factions are getting behind the referendum for different reasons (Democrats want more services for minorities and offer more transportation coverage for the poor and underserved, Republicans want to fix traffic problems and increase heavy rail transit as an incentive for businesses to locate in Metro Atlanta, Libertarians want the money to be spent wisely and efficiently with no favoritism or corruption, Greens want less pollution and more ecological transportation alternatives). There needs to be a multi-faceted marketing message to address each of these major positions.

Here is an updated list of the projects from Atlanta Regional Roundtable:

http://www.atlantaregionalroundtable.com/docs/TIA_unconstrained_list_6-1-2011.pdf (broken link)

I like the seriousness of the discussions occurring related to transportation in Georgia. If this transporation referendum is successful, perhaps a similar roundtable can address Atlanta's Water and Energy issues in the future.

This list does not include everything we should do, and it doesn't have every project we should go for. But it is a huge start. The Clifton Corridor is still alive. The Cumberland light rail is still a Go. The red line extension to Holcomb Bridge is still on. All three of these are real, life investments that will have a net positive impact on our economy, both in the short run and the long run.

Originally Posted by arjay57

Uh-oh. Looks like the Transportation Referendum is in for a battle.


Tea Party organizing to block transportation tax

Originally Posted by K-SawDude

I am SO OVER these people's attempts to ruin this country at both a national, and now a local level. I'm all for a sober, reasonable assessment of the the pros and cons of an individual tax proposal. Heck, I'm not even 100% on this transit tax yet as I'm not sure it's going to be geared enough towards transit projects rather than just being more of the same ole same ole roads, roads, roads agenda.

But you can't have a reasonable debate with someone whose terms are so irrational and severe. You can't live in a society free of taxes! It's impossible. You can't have transit networks--roads or otherwise--that aren't at least somewhat regional in focus. The Tea Party's position on this issue is just so ridiculously untenable; it's almost like parody.

I'd hope the GA populace would starting tuning these people out and listening to the more sensible conservative, moderate, and liberal voices out there. It's not like this is some sort of socialist proposal. The Chamber of Commerce, Nathan Deal, and other Republican outfits have been in support thus far.

Arghhh!

I wish these mental dinosaurs would go back to rural Georgia already. This is a REGIONAL roundtable, and we cannot allow loud minorities such as the Tea Party to hijack what could be one of the most exciting developments in Atlanta history.

[K-SawDude]

Originally Posted by testa50

Yeah, even the 40% transit scenario means $2+ billion for mass transit. That's a gamechanger. And it's not like our investment in roads has been sufficient regardless.

Also, we're a massive logistics hub (#3 in the nation by some measures), so having a good road system is kinda important.

I guess I just need to see the final list. I'm not opposed to roadwork, of course, but we have other means in this state to raise funds that can directly impact roads (mainly, the gas tax). But transit funding always seems to need to jump through a zillion more hurdles. And to only get 40% of the money from this bill? And with that, to only semi-fund so many of these transit projects in the hopes that magic other sources of funding will appear later on to complete them? (Especially when the federal government is, at present, planning to slash transportation matching funding over the next year.)

It's just disheartening.

[K-SawDude]

Originally Posted by arjay57

It was a shame to defeat that trauma care measure. It wasn't a general tax, but a specific, dedicated funding source that would only go toward beefing up the statewide trauma system.

As to whether it's Christian, that's beside the point. You don't have to be Christian to be prepared and compassionate, nor do you have to be Christian to get yourself (or your family) smashed up in a wreck.

Oh, well. It's like a lot of things. The people who fuss about paying for things are often the very ones who scream bloody murder when they need something and find out it's not there.

Well-said. I didn't mean to play the Christian card. It was just my way of getting at the ethics of this issue, as I don't think many people think of it from an ethical point of view. The reception of that vote seemed to consist of a lot of typical short-sighted, knee-jerk "I don't want to pay for anything" me-me-me-ism.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by toll_booth

I wish these mental dinosaurs would go back to rural Georgia already. This is a REGIONAL roundtable, and we cannot allow loud minorities such as the Tea Party to hijack what could be one of the most exciting developments in Atlanta history.

Well, I sincerely hope those who are in favor of this tax get out and do some SERIOUS campaigning. I'm talking about phone banks, door-to-door canvassing, hosting neighborhood meetings and assisting with Get Out the Vote campaigns. That's exactly what your opposition is doing and I daresay they are starting out ahead.

So for those who genuinely want to see transportation changes in Atlanta -- and not just discuss them on the internet -- get cracking!!!

This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to make a difference. If the referendum's supporters don't come out and bring all their resources to bear, it's unlikely there will ever be another chance to do anything. We can kiss transit expansion in Atlanta goodbye, probably forever.

Remember, the Tea Party defeated the Trauma Center bill. That was only $10, once a year. And for a cause that's about as gold-plated as it gets.

The cause awaits. Atlanta can keep up, or get lost in everyone else's dust.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by K-SawDude

Well-said. I didn't mean to play the Christian card. It was just my way of getting at the ethics of this issue, as I don't think many people think of it from an ethical point of view. The reception of that vote seemed to consist of a lot of typical short-sighted, knee-jerk "I don't want to pay for anything" me-me-me-ism.

I understood your point, K-Saw.

For what it's worth, Jesus never took a position on transit as far as I know. However, he was well known for sticking up for the little guy.