2012 Atlanta Region Transportation Referendum (automobile, installing, electric)

[AcidSnake]

You are getting sucked into the either/or argument. That's a big mistake to me. If it weren't for the overseas expenditures that this country gets suckered into paying for, there would be plentiful funds for both paratransit and rail.

Besides that, one of my co-worker's suffers from MS and uses paratransit. She gotten this health condition well into her late 40s after having been in the workforce for decades and having paid for her house. She just like me lives in South Dekalb and below I-20, and our area has no MARTA station, and last time I checked there was nothing in T-SPLOST to show rail for I-20 east towards Lithonia.

Also, do you really think that simply cutting off paratransit funding now will somehow allow more funding for rail? I highly doubt that. Furthermore I'll bet you that the funding for paratransit would be nothing more than mere pennies in a mop bucket compared to the massive funding necessary for rail just for my part of South Dekalb.

So for right now, I will respectfully disagree with your assertion on this issue.

Originally Posted by cqholt

Paratransit gets more subsidizes than any other form of transit. Lets use those funds to expand bus and rail transit to more people and have those that use the paratransit use regular buses and rail.

[south-to-west]

Originally Posted by BobKovacs

Yes....because all the seniors are going to magically move to new assisted living facilities along the Beltline, and all the doctors and hospitals are going to move so you can step off a train platform and walk 50 feet to their front door. If you can't drive, you're not likely to be in good enough shape to walk to a train station, ride the train to your destination, and then walk to your doctor's appointment. Your theory sounds good on paper, but reality is a different story.

You're forgetting about the sum of money on the project list that is allocated towards the Mobility Call Center for seniors to access transportation services. That project would be invaluable for the region's human services transportation needs and will afford hundreds of thousands of seniors the ability to arrange for trips to and from the doctor's office or any other service they need.

[AcidSnake]

If you are single with no kids and no elderly parents to care for, I'm pretty sure 40K would be alright for where you are. But I don't make 40K at the moment and I have elderly relatives that I look after.

Also, as far as "scare tactics" are concerned, I speak from reality.

Maybe for some folks, their reality is an episode of "Friends" where they drink coffee at Starbucks, ride a bike without worry, live in a trendy work-live-play apartments, are not burdened with caring for elderly relatives, can easily get good-paying jobs at the drop of a dime, and have easy access to transportation. But for everyone else, life is a bit more precarious, and sometimes when transportation access is lacking, a little help is necessary.

But if what I say is considered a scare tactic, and that what tea-partiers like Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers say is considered down-to-earth gospel, then it's very likely you weren't going to be swayed by any arguments from the pro-TSPLOST folks like me to begin with.

Either way, my arguments are more for the other people who read this thread and may be swayed by what I post.

That's my take on this, anyways.

Originally Posted by noah

Its not a southern thing, you see this in many parts of the country. $40k will buy you a place in my neighborhood but I didn't say everyone had to live in the neighborhood, my point was let people choose. I think having a strong city core is great and vital to a region but don't scare people into voting yes based on scare tactics like the one used above. What ever happen to convincing people based on how it will improve things instead of insults and scare tactics. I guess its expected in a heated campaign nowadays but that doesn't mean we like it. Its an interesting way to try to get more votes though, I know I am turned off by it, not more encouraged to vote yes.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by AcidSnake

If you are single with no kids and no elderly parents to care for, I'm pretty sure 40K would be alright for where you are. But I don't make 40K at the moment and I have elderly relatives that I look after.

Also, as far as "scare tactics" are concerned, I speak from reality.

Maybe for some folks, their reality is an episode of "Friends" where they drink coffee at Starbucks, ride a bike without worry, live in a trendy work-live-play apartments, are not burdened with caring for elderly relatives, can easily get good-paying jobs at the drop of a dime, and have easy access to transportation. But for everyone else, life is a bit more precarious, and sometimes when transportation access is lacking, a little help is necessary.

But if what I say is considered a scare tactic, and that what tea-partiers like Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers say is considered down-to-earth gospel, then it's very likely you weren't going to be swayed by any arguments from the pro-TSPLOST folks like me to begin with.

Snake, you have writing some great posts lately. Well said.

[cqholt]

Also, do you really think that simply cutting off paratransit funding now will somehow allow more funding for rail? I highly doubt that. Furthermore I'll bet you that the funding for paratransit would be nothing more than mere pennies in a mop bucket compared to the massive funding necessary for rail just for my part of South Dekalb.

So for right now, I will respectfully disagree with your assertion on this issue.

Paratransit is heavily subsidized. Decades before the disabled rode the buses and trains like everyone else. Buses are equipped to handle the disabled very well.

She just like me lives in South Dekalb and below I-20, and our area has no MARTA station, and last time I checked there was nothing in T-SPLOST to show rail for I-20 east towards Lithonia.

There are GRTA express buses. And the I-20 transitway project is on the list to provide BRT to Lithonia. The reason BRt was chosen is that it can easily be upgraded to LRT if the ridership is there.
I do agree that South DeKalb needs a rail line and would like to see a HRT lien extended from Downtown to Lithonia, via I-20 with a transfer to the Blue Line at Wesley Chapel. Also, MARTA has approved the extension of the Blue Line to Wesley Chapel so federal funds could become available for that project or it will get funded in TIA round 2.

[AcidSnake]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Paratransit is heavily subsidized. Decades before the disabled rode the buses and trains like everyone else. Buses are equipped to handle the disabled very well.

Just because Paratransit is heavily subsidized doesn't mean that it makes up a large part of MARTA funding. If you draw up a pie chart of MARTA's expenditures and divided up each section by service & cost, I'll bet you that the section representing Paratransit would barely be a sliver compared to other expenditures.

Also, my co-worker is in a motorized wheelchair and there are others in the area who utilize them as well. Regular MARTA buses aren't typically designed to accommodate more than one disabled person using a motorized wheelchair.

So I will not follow that either/or logic, I just won't.

Originally Posted by cqholt

There are GRTA express buses. And the I-20 transitway project is on the list to provide BRT to Lithonia. The reason BRt was chosen is that it can easily be upgraded to LRT if the ridership is there.
I do agree that South DeKalb needs a rail line and would like to see a HRT lien extended from Downtown to Lithonia, via I-20 with a transfer to the Blue Line at Wesley Chapel. Also, MARTA has approved the extension of the Blue Line to Wesley Chapel so federal funds could become available for that project or it will get funded in TIA round 2.

Bus lines can get cut and have been cut. Rail can't be cut. Also there is no guarantee that federal funds will be made available for rail for South Dekalb towards Lithonia. And the only reason BRT was chosen was because my part of South Dekalb wasn't apportioned the monies for rail and had to settle for BRT as a result.

I just won't follow that either/or logic.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by AcidSnake

Just because Paratransit is heavily subsidized doesn't mean that it makes up a large part of MARTA funding. If you draw up a pie chart of MARTA's expenditures and divided up each section by service & cost, I'll bet you that the section representing Paratransit would barely be a sliver compared to other expenditures.

I understand the argument that folks with mobility issues need to figure out some way to get around on their own, but for a lot of folks Paratransit is all they've got.

[AcidSnake]

It breaks my heart to see the callous attitude people who are able-bodied have towards others who are not. Do folks literally have to have their spines cut below the waist to know what it's like in order to have that sort of empathy?

Lord helps us all if such the case.

Originally Posted by arjay57

I understand the argument that folks with mobility issues need to figure out some way to get around on their own, but for a lot of folks Paratransit is all they've got.

[belleislerunner]

I tend to think it spurs from the sensational reporting whereby a news outlet will focus on one individual who won the lottery and is still collecting food stamps or the person losing their home to foreclosures who leases a BMW and doesn't want to give up cable - in attemps to portray all people who collect food stamps/EBT are just out for free rides.

Language plays a key role. Notice how sublte wording changes from "assistance" or "welfare" programs aimed at helping those who are struggling sounds different than the goverment passing out "entitlement" programs. Both sides of the aisle due it - and it just makes those listening more poloarized in their views.

[cqholt]

Regular MARTA buses aren't typically designed to accommodate more than one disabled person using a motorized wheelchair.

I have seen it myself. I have seen 2 motorized wheelchair users on a smaller MARTA bus fit just fine. There are 2 spots a the front of the buses for wheelchairs.