MARTA to make an $8 billion pitch to change the face of Atlanta (Roswell: to rent, big house)

[fourthwarden]

Originally Posted by 0nyxStation

So whats the latest news on this 8 Million dollar push?? Outside of the bickering and fussing? What are the current FACTS?

Well one fact is that it's $8 Billion, not million

Originally Posted by bu2

The problem is that they want a 42 year tax. That's effectively permanent. That's a lot harder sell than 5, 10, 15 or even 20.

Yeah, didn't say it would be easy, but I believe there is political will for such a thing, especially in the City, Fulton, and Dekalb.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by 0nyxStation

So whats the latest news on this 8 Million dollar push?? Outside of the bickering and fussing? What are the current FACTS?

It would raise $200M per year, which over the 42 years of the tax, could produce $4B. MARTA would use that long term funding source to leverage federal funds, up to half the amount, and that is how they come up with $8B.

[cqholt]

Where is corndog, I mean Dirt...
MARTA - Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority

[fourthwarden]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Where is corndog, I mean Dirt...
MARTA - Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority

Shush now, we don't need to stoke the flame war.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by fourthwarden

Shush now, we don't need to stoke the flame war.

No, he/she should read this and know that MARTA is 'ahead of the curve' in updating it's 9 miles of tunnels.

[sumitsu]

The challenge of extending MARTA in North Fulton | www.ajc.com

What MARTA and other backers of the rail line want is for the Fulton County commission and the mayors to cap their sales tax referendum – whatever the content – at a half penny.

In January, MARTA will go to the Legislature and ask for a change to H.B. 170: It wants to permission to claim the other half of the county SPLOST penny, through a separate referendum, in Fulton, DeKalb and Clayton counties. For rail expansion in each.

[arjay57]

Interesting comments from the mayor of Alpharetta. He could be onto something:

Behind the MARTA push [for expansion into north Fulton] is the economic development argument that businesses are becoming more and more dependent on millennial employees – and they want out of their cars.

David Belle Isle, mayor of Alpharetta, isn’t biting. “Millennials want Alpharetta. They just don’t know it,” Belle Isle said. “Millennials are people, at the end of the day. They’re going to have children.” Good schools and affordable housing will become more important than commuting options, he predicted.

Nonetheless, Belle Isle said he has already extracted a promise from MARTA. If the transit agency does push across the Chattahoochee River, any development associated with it – housing and businesses that might be built on MARTA property – would be subject to local zoning.

[brownhornet]

Originally Posted by arjay57

Interesting comments from the mayor of Alpharetta. He could be onto something:

The ironic part is, Alpharetta folks probably have the worst commute of anyone in town trying to get into and out of the city on 400 during rush hour.

[fourthwarden]

Originally Posted by arjay57

Interesting comments from the mayor of Alpharetta. He could be onto something:

Just because people move on in life (apparently to Alpharetta) as time goes on, doesn't mean they don't still want alternatives and options. Those who move to the suburbs from the city, will have plenty of reasons reason to take a train into Atlanta. The most obvious is if their employment is still in the city. The next most obvious is for the Airport. There are also plenty of events, games, shows, festivals, weekend trips etc. There are sure to be friends who remain in the city who want to come up or want others to come down for an evening.

Point is, just because people carry on, doesn't mean the demand for tranist will too.

[Pemgin]

Belle Isle doesn't sound too bright. In 2015, in metro Atlanta, any leader who isn't advocating hard for commute options (especially a mayor from a large Fulton County suburb) isn't leading well.