MARTA to make an $8 billion pitch to change the face of Atlanta (credit, living in)

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by ccdscott

Or the state of Georgia could pony up some dedicated funding like oh...say the 48 other states do for their transit systems.

MARTA, been fighting one handed since its inception.

The state has given MARTA many financial tools.

To get a straight out grant from state government, MARTA simply needs to convince the legislature that it's in the best interest of all Georgians.

If legislators from around the state are given the ammo to support that, they can go back to the voters in their home districts and explain the situation.

[ccdscott]

LOL at "straight out grant". The largest public transportation system in the state, that provides the type of impact it does, struggling to prove its worth that it needs a "grant". If Georgians can't see an expanded MARTA is in the best interests of the state -- what more do they need to see?

Public transportation is important in every state, and many states recognize that importance by providing dedicated funding.

There are a variety of ways to come up with funding sources if you really want to.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by ccdscott

LOL at "straight out grant". The largest public transportation system in the state, that provides the type of impact it does, struggling to prove its worth that it needs a "grant". If Georgians can't see an expanded MARTA is in the best interests of the state -- what more do they need to see?

If it's that simple then why not just lay out the case in black and white? If the legislature is given the hard facts showing how much the state should put in, it's a lot easier to justify a grant to the folks back home.

[ccdscott]

You're missing the point. The most important transit system in the state shouldn't have to lay out a case in black or white. I'm not saying they shouldn't due to the fragmentation of Georgia's home rule system/politics, but am I saying it is unnecessary.

I mean, CTA isn't going to the Illinois legislature to prove how important it is to Illinois. It's self-explanatory.

[fourthwarden]

Originally Posted by arjay57

If it's that simple then why not just lay out the case in black and white? If the legislature is given the hard facts showing how much the state should put in, it's a lot easier to justify a grant to the folks back home.

It's not that simple though. A lot of voters in this state have a very strongly rooted concept of "If I don't use it, why should I pay for it?" The politicians they vote in mirror that idea, and transit for the big city isn't something that that a farmer or small-town general store owner cares about. They don't have to deal with the traffic.

It takes more than 'just' explaining how well the agency is doing to get it funding. You have to overcome the idea that the state funding transit in Atlanta is good for the state, and not just loosing money. That's on top of the idea that Atlanta already gets way too much of the state's funds.

It's true that the state has given MARTA a few methods of funding itself, primarily in the method form of its land, but has done little to actually support the agency, any other metro transit.

I'll make a wild guess and say that the responses you'll get were MARTA to ask for funds from the state will go along the lines of,"See how fine you're doing on your own? You've got enough, now just do with what you have." The best we could realistically see in the near future would be the State allowing changes to the TSPLOST laws, and even that'll probably run into similar problems.

[JMatl]

Originally Posted by ccdscott

You're missing the point. The most important transit system in the state shouldn't have to lay out a case in black or white. I'm not saying they shouldn't due to the fragmentation of Georgia's home rule system/politics, but am I saying it is unnecessary.

I mean, CTA isn't going to the Illinois legislature to prove how important it is to Illinois. It's self-explanatory.

But don't the CTA and Metra have to BEG Springfield for money every year?

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by ccdscott

You're missing the point. The most important transit system in the state shouldn't have to lay out a case in black or white. I'm not saying they shouldn't due to the fragmentation of Georgia's home rule system/politics, but am I saying it is unnecessary.

I mean, CTA isn't going to the Illinois legislature to prove how important it is to Illinois. It's self-explanatory.

It may seem self-explanatory to you but I doubt that it is to legislators and their constituents outside of Fulton and DeKalb.

And what's the big deal about laying out your best case? People do that all the time in business, politics and even in their own families.

Making the case with hard, irrefutable facts is a lot more persuasive -- and much more likely to result in actual funding -- than hollering on the internet about how the mean old the state of Georgia is not giving MARTA enough money.

If you're in the legislature you've got a million people beating down your door to give them money for this or that agency or program.

As the old saying goes, if you want somebody to agree with you, don't yell at them. Give them the tools they need to see it your way.

[primaltech]

The other big transit systems have this successful strategy they've employed over the decades, where they don't operate in a conservative southern state with a history of racism, perpetually controlled by rural-district regressives who have a bitter distaste for anything related to the city and its residents, and who oppose any kind of taxes and anything resembling public or progressive transportation. And where there's no regional planning whatsoever, and everyone refuses to pay for anything.

MARTA should really try that method sometime, then they'd get some funding and be able to expand their footprint and actually serve the population.

[JMatl]

Originally Posted by primaltech

The other big transit systems have this successful strategy they've employed over the decades, where they don't operate in a conservative southern state with a history of racism, perpetually controlled by rural-district regressives who have a bitter distaste for anything related to the city and its residents, and who oppose any kind of taxes and anything resembling public or progressive transportation. And where there's no regional planning whatsoever, and everyone refuses to pay for anything.

MARTA should really try that method sometime, then they'd get some funding and be able to expand their footprint and actually serve the population.

LOL!!! We hardly own this, by any insane stretch of imagination. You need a trip to Illinois & Pennsylvania, ASAP.

You have no idea...

[Caleb Longstreet]

Originally Posted by flamadiddle

reminds me of a song, In the year 2525...

Funny you should say that. The Alpharetta station was always planned for 2025. However, why stop,there? Push it to Forsyth as well.