Purdue finally talking about mass transit! (Atlanta, Macon: sales, sales tax, live in)

[atlantagreg30127]

There was a thread going on in the Atlanta room about this here: http://www.city-data.com/forum/atlan...ded-train.html

I won't duplicate my whole answer in there. Folks can read it if they want. But my theory is that this is entirely just a political move on his part (I go into details in my other post). He was logged in text reports as saying he could care squat about most public transit just a couple of years ago - now here he is. Riiiiiiight.

Politics.

[wxjay]

Originally Posted by madbbqer

State roadwork is paid for by all state taxpayers. I'm specifically talking about an entity that receives funding through ridership..and by the taxpayers of Fulton & Dekalb counties (and maybe some fed funding for good measure).

I never heard of rural golf courses being funded by the state. I smell pork!

MARTA is the largest public transit system in this country without state funding. No federal funding.

Not to pick on you, but quite frankly I am just completely baffled at the attitude of people in this state when it comes to funding projects, whether it be public transit, roads, or horse barns. I don't understand why people want to have a state government but have each county pay for its own expenses and projects. That's not the way it is supposed to work here people. As a collective society, we work together to make the state better for everyone. Yes, that means public transit for metro Atlanta. Other states get it (NC, for example and tons of other states), but here, it's like some alien concept. It just makes no sense. Making the argument of "people who use it should pay for it" is useless because simply, if that were true, then (a) a state government would not be needed and (b) we would have no public services like cops or fire depts, public schools, public parks, etc.

Where does this lunacy stop?

[postprime]

Originally Posted by wxjay

MARTA is the largest public transit system in this country without state funding. No federal funding.

Not to pick on you, but quite frankly I am just completely baffled at the attitude of people in this state when it comes to funding projects, whether it be public transit, roads, or horse barns. I don't understand why people want to have a state government but have each county pay for its own expenses and projects. That's not the way it is supposed to work here people. As a collective society, we work together to make the state better for everyone. Yes, that means public transit for metro Atlanta. Other states get it (NC, for example and tons of other states), but here, it's like some alien concept. It just makes no sense. Making the argument of "people who use it should pay for it" is useless because simply, if that were true, then (a) a state government would not be needed and (b) we would have no public services like cops or fire depts, public schools, public parks, etc.

Where does this lunacy stop?

I don't get it either. I make use of practically nothing provided outside Metro Atl, but if they did not have my state tax dollars many of those areas would like third-world countries.

[postprime]

Originally Posted by madbbqer

State roadwork is paid for by all state taxpayers. I'm specifically talking about an entity that receives funding through ridership..and by the taxpayers of Fulton & Dekalb counties (and maybe some fed funding for good measure).

I never heard of rural golf courses being funded by the state. I smell pork!

In that case I would prefer rural roads to charge tolls and not use my state taxes. Doesn't work like that. But the state takes exactly that attitude about Marta.

[atlantagreg30127]

Anyone in here a good investigative reporter? Or a wannabe at least?

Perdue's initial "plan" is to get a commuter rail line going from downtown Atlanta to Griffin - and he said he would like it to go to Lovejoy.

Ok, let's think about this. Does anyone know anyone who lives in Lovejoy who complains about their commute to a white collar job in Atlanta? No. Lovejoy - carpenters, plumbers, construction, etc. NOT intown commuters. Mostly the same with Griffin for the most part as well. The first commuter line should be from Cartersville to Atlanta, or Cumming to Atlanta, or Buford to Atlanta. These are where the highest volume of drivers come from - NOT "Lovejoy" (??).

Ok - so to the reporter in you ... do some snooping. I'll wager that Perdue either personally owns land in an area that would be bought for the Griffin/Lovejoy commuter route, or he has relatives that do. SOMEONE he knows or is associated with personally would stand to make a large sum of money on that proposal - because common sense would never allow someone to pick that as a route over those mentioned above. I would love nothing better than to see something like that be discovered and leaked out to the media.

[postprime]

Originally Posted by atlantagreg30127

Anyone in here a good investigative reporter? Or a wannabe at least?

Perdue's initial "plan" is to get a commuter rail line going from downtown Atlanta to Griffin - and he said he would like it to go to Lovejoy.

Ok, let's think about this. Does anyone know anyone who lives in Lovejoy who complains about their commute to a white collar job in Atlanta? No. Lovejoy - carpenters, plumbers, construction, etc. NOT intown commuters. Mostly the same with Griffin for the most part as well. The first commuter line should be from Cartersville to Atlanta, or Cumming to Atlanta, or Buford to Atlanta. These are where the highest volume of drivers come from - NOT "Lovejoy" (??).

Ok - so to the reporter in you ... do some snooping. I'll wager that Perdue either personally owns land in an area that would be bought for the Griffin/Lovejoy commuter route, or he has relatives that do. SOMEONE he knows or is associated with personally would stand to make a large sum of money on that proposal - because common sense would never allow someone to pick that as a route over those mentioned above. I would love nothing better than to see something like that be discovered and leaked out to the media.

Unfortunately, you are probably correct. I don't get Griffin either, unless the purpose is to pump up their economy, which could be for personal gain too. Did anybody ask him why Griffin at the press conf.?

[chip1980]

Marta should have a line that goes up along or near all the major interstates in Atlanta

[irishvanguard]

Originally Posted by atlantagreg30127

Anyone in here a good investigative reporter? Or a wannabe at least?

Perdue's initial "plan" is to get a commuter rail line going from downtown Atlanta to Griffin - and he said he would like it to go to Lovejoy.


Ok - so to the reporter in you ... do some snooping. I'll wager that Perdue either personally owns land in an area that would be bought for the Griffin/Lovejoy commuter route, or he has relatives that do. SOMEONE he knows or is associated with personally would stand to make a large sum of money on that proposal - because common sense would never allow someone to pick that as a route over those mentioned above. I would love nothing better than to see something like that be discovered and leaked out to the media.

The most obvious reason for this is to connect the "Lovejoy to Atlanta" line with a long-proposed "Macon to Atlanta airport" line. While I know Perdue has assembled land near or within a proposed state park (Oaky Woods), the deal fell through. Now the accusations include scrutiny of other land deals. Who knows, a true violation may emerge. A legal action should follow if that happens.

If you're interested in conspiracy theories, though, the media is still investigating J. Edgar Hoover for some perverse reason. You could join that.

[irishvanguard]

Also, remember that local voters in the metro area have had the opportunity to pressure their county commissions to join Marta and ease their own commuting woes by connecting to the existing Marta lines.

All too often, the metro's huge tax base in the suburbs always blames rural Georgia for not "contributing".

[postprime]

Originally Posted by irishvanguard

Also, remember that local voters in the metro area have had the opportunity to pressure their county commissions to join Marta and ease their own commuting woes by connecting to the existing Marta lines.

All too often, the metro's huge tax base in the suburbs always blames rural Georgia for not "contributing".

That is a good point. Cobb and Gwinnett may end up suffering for their short-sighted planning, or lack of planning. I know of very few people who would have any interest in moving to Gwinnett unless they had no other choice.