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Maybe Beverly Scott should cut her 7 figure salary or is that just for Private Companies?
Funny she is yelling Armagedden and lookin' for dollars but how come nobody has brought up this bloated croney payroll on Scott's executive staff. Rather similiar to GM's CEO, but leaving the UAW out. Gotta love bloated government subsidy teet suckers, just suck it dry and cry, cry, cry.
Exactly the kind of no new idea argument I would expect, even if everyone worked for marta on a volunteer basis it still would need state funds, just like the DOT needs my money to build roads in _______,GA.
Please explain how your arguement has anything to do with the state legislature strangle hold on MARTA's OWN revenue.MARTA needs state funding for longterm survival, but more importantly it needs to be able to spend the sales tax revenue on operations immediately.
Let me ask this...and I admit up front that I have done no research and don't know the answer.
MARTA has not added any track mileage since the late 90s. I'm sure some costs have risen, but I'm also pretty sure that sales tax collections have also risen as new people move into the area and the population increases. I would also bet that ridership is close to the all time highs, due to gas prices and the influx of people moving to the area.
If my assumptions are correct, why is MARTA so challenged to make ends meet now as opposed to 10 years ago? If my assumptions are incorrect, why?
I'm glad you are coming in open minded. Here are some reasons why MARTA cannot stay afloat. Here is the key, MARTA has a deficit budget.
Sales Tax Revenue is down to an unprecedented level, this reason alone is why MARTA is facing a crisis.
Increase in rider ship is not a good thing; each passenger ride is subsidized by sales revenue. So new passengers are not revenue generators, they are cost multipliers. More passengers equal more trains, buses, workers, etc, precisely when revenue is down. Double Whammy!
I want to explain this, because here is the key. MARTA has a BUDGET deficit. No one saw the economy tanking, MARTA budgeted revenue that didn’t materialize. From what I've read no expenses are out of whack.
Here is the kicker, MARTA did a forecast for the next year and there is no way to cut cost without service. It has a revenue problem, not an expense problem. Parking, Fares increase, advertising, kiosk, are a kick in the bucket compared to operating cost and none can be implemented in this economy.
Exactly the kind of no new idea argument I would expect, even if everyone worked for marta on a volunteer basis it still would need state funds, just like the DOT needs my money to build roads in _______,GA.
Please explain how your arguement has anything to do with the state legislature strangle hold on MARTA's OWN revenue.MARTA needs state funding for longterm survival, but more importantly it needs to be able to spend the sales tax revenue on operations immediately.
Exactly the kind of no new accountability idea I would expect
There is an idea, MARTA needs a complete review of how it is handling it's incoming revenue, the structure inside MARTA, and the overall business plan at hand. Maybe you could explain WHY the state legislature has a strangle hold on MARTA? Actually, the General Manager herself was whinning about the "laser focused" mentality out of Washington's Obama Administration as published in the Marietta Daily Journal. Maybe, even as Obama himself has trumpeted on a daily basis, when stimulus funds are given, accountability must be shown. Something outside of placing the standard "no new accountability idea" that MARTA has been sounding for months. It's just give us millions, or even billions to lay 10 mile of track to South Gwinnett, but nothing in regard to proper planning or management accountability.
As far as salary, I'm sure you will find that the current GM has a total package close to if not exceeding 1 million. Remember back in 2006 Ford had a 205k base plus a high end "expense allowance" Now of course that did not matter if you recall when not only he but many of the executive staff had a 6 figure salary curtesy of taxpayer supported credit cards to abuse to the tune of shoes, golf clubs, outings, vacations, etc. This you can find in the 2006 August issue of the Atlanta Business Chronicle.
So the idea? Sure I have one. A full business plan on "how" the funds will be used. An accountability review audit similiar to a public listed private corporations with Sarbanes Oxley? No, you will never hear this nor find any high level tax payer subsidized program even have the nerve to try this?
What is so wrong with it? What is their plan? This is not a Kool-Aid stand but a Billion dollar business, then again with so many Kool-Aid drinkers looking for cash hand-outs without accountability maybe it is just a stand.
I'm glad you are coming in open minded. Here are some reasons why MARTA cannot stay afloat. Here is the key, MARTA has a deficit budget.
Sales Tax Revenue is down to an unprecedented level, this reason alone is why MARTA is facing a crisis.
Increase in rider ship is not a good thing; each passenger ride is subsidized by sales revenue. So new passengers are not revenue generators, they are cost multipliers. More passengers equal more trains, buses, workers, etc, precisely when revenue is down. Double Whammy!
I want to explain this, because here is the key. MARTA has a BUDGET deficit. No one saw the economy tanking, MARTA budgeted revenue that didn’t materialize. From what I've read no expenses are out of whack.
Here is the kicker, MARTA did a forecast for the next year and there is no way to cut cost without service. It has a revenue problem, not an expense problem. Parking, Fares increase, advertising, kiosk, are a kick in the bucket compared to operating cost and none can be implemented in this economy.
As for the economy excuse. Here is an article from 5 years ago when the economy and Atlanta was exploding in growth and where was MARTA? In dire straits Main issue, abuse. So much for using the economy as a sounding board. The words. Common sense management with a real business plan. Something MARTA and many other organizations fail to do in our gimmie society today. Rather a shame
[Increase in rider ship is not a good thing; each passenger ride is subsidized by sales revenue. So new passengers are not revenue generators, they are cost multipliers. More passengers equal more trains, buses, workers, etc, precisely when revenue is down. Double Whammy.
Well, I don't get what you're saying. Every transit system has fixed costs to run the system, whether there is 1 person on a train or the train is full. The cost to run the train and the infrastructure doesn't increase in an incremental way, but each new rider is incremental revenue once the fixed costs are met.
MARTA takes in more in fares as the ridership increases, up to a point where they can't move the same people with the same infratructure. At that point there is some variable cost for each incremental rider. Are you saying that MARTA has maxed out its capacity? If they cut back the train schedule by 15% each day, are you claiming that people would be stacked up on platforms? That doesn't sound correct to me and from what I've seen. It might mean people standing on trains and packing in more tightly, but they'd get where they're going. Having ridden the NYC and Boston systems for years, packed trains are a way of life. Maybe that's the ticket here?
I think only a few people who regularly post in this room have a history of opposing the need of rail to some of the suburbs. But there are two sides to this.
On one side:
The State has a horrible track record of supporting anything that isn't build out of blacktop or concrete, and State leaders are still in 2009 typically of the "Bubba Joe" characters, who see anything that has to do with Atlanta as something just barely short of a plague to avoid (much less fund and support).
Likewise the City has a poor leadership record in trying to get anything going on their own that would connect to and enhance the current system, or even lift a hand to help MARTA gain corporate donations, funding, etc.
Some suburban residents who have been here a long time (since the "white flight" era) still have the "it will bring THOSE people out here" mentality.
On the other side:
MARTA has a history of horrible leadership. In years (and decades) past, their leaders have been investigated for everything from mismanagement of money, to money laundering, to a CEO caught having sex in an airport bathroom. Their police force more resembles the Keystone Cops 50% of the time (when they're not grouped together socializing in one station, while others have no visible presence at all). They've long needed a complete and thorough overhaul from the station cleaners all the way up to the head leadership levels.... but show no signs of doing it.
Pricing is outdated. Zone fares are needed, yet they refuse to explore this because it would be too much work. Some report done a while ago said that the new Breeze Card machines (costing millions) are also the wrong type to be able to utilize zone fares properly - in other words, they spend money on older technology that was already behind in the times.
Their planning has been poor. Not long ago when asked about extending the North line toward Alpharetta, the spokesperson said, "We don't feel there's a need for it at this time". Really? No need for more stations with large parking lots to remove more cars off of GA400?
The latest political move to threaten to close the system down on Fridays will backfire on them in ways they obviously haven't thought of yet. The State could care less. The suburbanites will be inconvenienced, but it will only cause them to hold more of a grudge against MARTA than shut them down or leave them stranded with no means to get around. The inner-city public however, well, get ready - the villagers might come to the castle with flaming torches.
Hmmmmmm..... I wonder who runs the show there? Answer: http://bestsmileys.com/freak/3.gif (broken link)
Anyway - I think we need more rail. I also think the Feds should come in and take control of MARTA - away from them AND the State. Not that it would happen - just saying that seems to be the only way things will get straightened out.
The inner-city public however, well, get ready - the villagers might come to the castle with flaming torches.
Maybe it is about time for some good ol' fashion protesting. It seems that nothing else has has worked so far.
Quote:
Originally Posted by atlantagreg30127
Anyway - I think we need more rail. I also think the Feds should come in and take control of MARTA - away from them AND the State. Not that it would happen - just saying that seems to be the only way things will get straightened out.
I so wish that someone would come in and teach these bubbas at the capital how to run a 21st century transit system. Everybody else in the world seems to have no problems doing this except for this state. There is no reason why the future of Georgia's transit operations should still be dictated by an old rule created by a deceased man whose only claim to fame is cooking fried chicken & chasing people around with ax handles.
Transit authorities typically need to be subsidized and MARTA is no exception. What is the exception is that the state doesn't contribute and that's assinine and wreckless.
Atlanta in fact subsidizes the state with our tax contributions, but the rest of the state who gladly sucks off of us, acts like they are self sufficient.
By the way the Heritage Foundation and CATO are not liberal in any fashion and in fact their views would be the same as Macon and the rest of the state.
The "economy excuse" is a simple fact...MARTA funding is generated through a % of Fulton/Dekalb sales taxes. The economic crisis that Atlanta/Georgia/the U.S. has been experiencing is well documented, and predicted by some analysts to be one of the worst in U.S. history. It has also been well publicized that no one predicted this crisis, so there is no way MARTA could have planned for it.
The MARTA funds generated in a healthy economy would be much higher due to healthy sales and people spending lots of money. That hasn't been happening and won't be any time soon, and MARTA has no other "real" source of funding.
People enjoy talking about MARTA mismanagement, money laundering and horrible leadership, yet the only specific example presented thus far involves a former Board Chairman ALLEGEDLY having bathroom sex (he recently pled not guilty)...his guilt or innocence aside, I don't see how that incident relates to mismanagement at MARTA.
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Main issue, abuse. So much for using the economy as a sounding board. The words. Common sense management with a real business plan. Something MARTA and many other organizations fail to do in our gimmie society today. Rather a shame
