MARTA unveils its dream project list for November Referendum (Atlanta: neighborhood, purchases)

[Gulch]

Originally Posted by arjay57

$50 billion and here we are wrangling over maybe $2.5 billion.

If the ATL is serious about getting more mass transit the business community needs to bow up and put its shoulder to the wheel. What are they doing other than sitting on the sidelines and cheerleading for the government to slap more taxes on the little man?

They'll just simply pass the cost on to their customers.

[fourthwarden]

Originally Posted by primaltech

Arjay is totally right that sales tax is regressive, and is far from the best way to fund transit.

MARTA should be funded by gas tax and other car-related taxes and fees. And tolled roads.

But we live in deep south, deep red, Georgia, so. Good luck with all that.

Gas tax is just a sales tax on one product. It is also regressive, since plenty of poor people need to buy gas as well.

I know there's the argument of having those who commute into the city / MARTA service area pay for part of the upkeep via the sales tax, but I would like to see actual data on this. I'm curious as to what percentage of the MARTA tax / MOST / SPLOSTs are paid for from people outside of the taxed area vs. the percentage paid by those inside the taxed area. It would give us a clearer picture on how our tax structures are affecting who.

It would be nice if we could use some of the, say, hotel-motel tax for transit instead of sports stadiums. Downtown mobility is helpful for things like conventions and large events. Maybe luxury goods taxes too could help pad it out a bit.

Ideally, it would be paid off with of progressive taxes, and taxes on service not typically associated with poorer parts of the population. Property taxes are better, but not a great piece considering a person can have their property value rise without them doing much, and without them being able to really manage the increased property taxes associated with that.

Really, though unless you get the whole metro in on the tax structure, and under unified services paid for via the tax, it will always be about capturing commuters' money vs. those living in the area.

[primaltech]

I'd say gas and car related taxes/fees are slightly less regressive than sales tax, because you have to own and maintain a car to pay them. Those who don't meet that entry threshold, don't have to pay anything, and those who drive less, pay less. Also, more car taxes, car fees, and road tolls would discourage cars and driving at least a bit, which increases transit usage and demand, and slightly reduces car traffic, which in turn speeds up bus transit, so you get some inherent added bonuses there. You could make it more progressive by tolling the highways in the affluent north suburbs, while not tolling the south side.

You could make it very progressive, by exempting people under a certain income threshold.

[krogerDisco]

Originally Posted by arjay57

If Bernie is in favor of the big corporations participating in transit funding then I am with him on that.

What does Trump say about it?

If you go after the big corporations for the money, more than Newell Rubbermaid will leave.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by Gulch

They'll just simply pass the cost on to their customers.

They may, but in a very indirect way. Bear in mind that these big corporations have customers and shareholders all over the place, and not just in Atlanta. Thier business models are very complex, and they don't raise the price tit for tat based on every expenditure made.

What boggles my mind is how fearful people seem to be of big corporations. "Oh, no, we can't ask them to help us fund mass transit! Why, they might get mad, or maybe just pick up and leave!"

"Man, we better be really, really nice to these people, some of them being big real estate developers and all."

[noah]

Go after them meaning taxing property tax instead of sales tax?

[skbl17]

Originally Posted by noah

Go after them meaning taxing property tax instead of sales tax?

Oh, when MARTA was created, the idea of funding it through property taxes was considered. When it went to the ballot, it failed miserably - even Fulton and DeKalb voted against it.

- skbl17

[fieldm]

I was on MARTA last night after 1130 and it was packed. I got on at Civic Center heading south. (No it wasnt the Shaky Knees concert attendees because that traffic would be in the opposite direction )

[cqholt]

To a point arjay brought up in a different thread, but about the transit expansion plan; Yes reliable transit expansion can help reduce the the income inequality in Atlanta.

Transit access is a key obstacle for unemployed people to get a job and a key tool for reducing congestion. And many of the city’s one-off moves of the past few years have displaced, dislocated, and isolated people who need this access and affordability. The resulting patterns have worsened conditions for people who occupy the low wealth, disrespected and forgotten swath of neighborhoods from northwest through southeast Atlanta.

Atlanta's moment? Convergence of housing people can afford plus access to transit - SaportaReport

[cqholt]

MARTA's secondary proposal, missing transit along the sections of the BeltLine ABI does not own. found on curbed http://atlanta.curbed.com/2016/5/16/...xpansions-2016