Casey Cagle appoints committee of senators to consider state takeover of Atlanta's airport (residential, cars)

[bu2]

Originally Posted by Mutiny77

Yep.

As examples, look at Atlanta, Houston, Dallas and Phoenix in 1970 compared to now.

[Mutiny77]

Originally Posted by bu2

As examples, look at Atlanta, Houston, Dallas and Phoenix in 1970 compared to now.

Absolutely. Places with strong job growth tend to attract folks from all over who bring their culture and cuisine with them, and that just tends to build on itself over time.

[atler8]

What happened to the discussion of the original thread topic?


I'd like to see more on that here and perhaps have the question asked by Huntsville secede about other cities in Georgia become a new thread topic..

[Mutiny77]

Originally Posted by atler8

What happened to the discussion of the original thread topic?


I'd like to see more on that here and perhaps have the question asked by Huntsville secede about other cities in Georgia become a new thread topic..

You know it's not uncommon for threads to diverge a bit from the original topic. But go ahead and get us back on track; there are existing threads concerning this tangential subject in the Georgia forum.

[skbl17]

There's been an interesting turn in the debate in the General Assembly: the left-for-dead SB 131 is back, but with a twist. Looking through the 76-page House Rules Committee substitute, here are the highlights. I've bolded the really important sections.

The bill makes a lot of changes, quite a few of which have nothing to do with Hartsfield-Jackson, so if the admins deem it appropriate they can move this post into a new topic or something.

First, with regards to airport oversight:

- The bill no longer establishes an airport authority, but instead creates a MARTOC-esque oversight committee covering all airports with 300 or more commercial boardings per year. This is a significant change from past proposals in the session, which were laser-targeted at Hartsfield-Jackson.

- The Major Airport Legislative Oversight Committee (hereafter referred to as "MALOC") will be composed of 12 members: the chairs of the House and Senate Transportation and Appropriations committees (4) and four other state representatives and state senators appointed by the Speaker and the President of the Senate respectively (8); these members must represent a county that contains a commercial airport or borders such an airport.

- While local governments and bodies that oversee qualified airports must cooperate with MALOC-initiated investigations, there are no shifts in ownership in the legislation. In other words, the City of Atlanta's ownership of Hartsfield-Jackson will remain intact with no changes.

- By January 1 of each calendar year, MALOC will submit to the General Assembly a report on the operations of any airport it deems necessary to review. Evaluations shall be made based on the performance of the airport or its owner with regards to "public safety; prudent, legal, and accountable expenditure of public funds; equitable and transparent procurement practices for the provision of services at the airport; and efficient operation."

- MALOC can create a citizens' advisory committee to assist in its duties, but this is not required and MALOC does not need to act based on such a committee's findings.

Next, Delta's precious tax break on jet fuel:

- The jet fuel sales and use tax break will remain in place through June 30, 2039.

- A $0.005/gallon excise tax will be imposed on all jet fuel subject to the sales and use tax break. The excise tax will be imposed on all jet fuel consumers, importers, and "distributors", which includes businesses that "produces, refines, distills, manufactures, blends, or compounds jet fuel".

With regards to transit:

- There will be a new department, the Department of Mobility and Innovation (hereafter referred to as DMI,) that will oversee all transit operations in Georgia, taking over any duties currently assigned to other departments, including GDOT. This does not affect the existing operations of the SRTA or the ATL.

- A voucher program will be piloted to assist the underemployed and unemployed in paying to use transit services. Such a program will only be available to those living in counties that have an unemployment rate of at least 125% of the state average or a per capita income of less than 75% of the state average.

- A pilot program will be conducted by DMI to provide grants of up to $500,000 to companies engaged in the deployment of "micro-transit services", which are defined as "a technology enabled, on-demand transit service with flexible routing and scheduling of multi-passenger vehicles."

- DMI will have a "Transit Link Division", which will be involved in developing transit services, and the "Transit Coordinating Council", which will advise the "division" (I assume the Transit Link Division) as to facilitating improved transit for those with disabilities.

- DMI will create a three-year pilot program to provide tax credits to employers that provide a transit benefit program for employees to use transit to get to and from work.

- The bill creates "mobility zones" to facilitate "coordinated and comprehensive planning of transit" in the zone's associated counties (pretty much everyone that posts in the Atlanta forum are in Zone 9 - the same areas covered by the ATL.) Essentially, each mobility zone will function as an "ATL" for their areas.

- GRTA will be abolished on July 1, 2020. The ATL will assume all its functions, duties, property, and employees.

- The bill makes some administrative changes to the ATL, including some modifications to the procedure for calling meetings to appoint members of the board.

- All transit operators within the ATL service area must adopt the ATL logo as a "prominent feature" by January 1, 2023.

- As for MARTA, the provisions relating to the special transit district in Cobb County have been extended to 2021. If the county commission chooses not to hold a referendum in the special district by that date, any future vote by Cobb on MARTA must be countywide.

- The SRTA has additional flexibility in using funds for non-rail mass transit operations (i.e. BRT or BRT-lite).

- skbl17

[waronxmas]

If the State wants more formal oversight, and for all airports not just HJIA, that's a good thing. That's a much better idea than upending the airport totally just for the helluvit.

[primaltech]

Okay I hope that bill passes, with that language.

All transit operators within the ATL service area must adopt the ATL logo as a "prominent feature" by January 1, 2023.

This is actually new, and much needed. You would think that should have been in the other bill last year, but the only bit about the logo was specifically for MARTA. This makes it clear that any other operator in the ATL area also must have the logo.

[skbl17]

SB 131 passes the House 104-70. The bill now heads back to the Senate; keep in mind that with HB 447 being appropriated as a vehicle for the original version of the airport takeover legislation + Delta's tax break, it will be interesting to see if the Senate caves and just lets this mild non-takeover version through.

- skbl17

[jsvh]

How about we also require all cars to "adopt the ATL logo as a prominent feature by January 1, 2023"? At least the state is massively funding car infrastructure so it makes sense. Transit they basically contribute nothing.

[bu2]

Originally Posted by skbl17

SB 131 passes the House 104-70. The bill now heads back to the Senate; keep in mind that with HB 447 being appropriated as a vehicle for the original version of the airport takeover legislation + Delta's tax break, it will be interesting to see if the Senate caves and just lets this mild non-takeover version through.

- skbl17

Somehow I felt like the whole thing was just a shot across the bow and not a serious effort.