Transportation Tax - Opposition (Atlanta, Sandy Springs: employment, purchase, price)

[MathmanMathman]

Originally Posted by toll_booth

Finally, if people want to give a legitimate reason why the TIA should not pass, it should be that it could encourage sprawl, thus rendering any transit advances moot. We ought to be looking at ways to counter that sprawl and encourage people to stop buying homes 20 or 30 miles away from their place of work. THAT is what's causing the traffic problems. THAT is why Atlanta has been consistently rated as having some of the worst traffic in America for years now. But with all the petty regionalism rivalries, and now with the Far Right loving to hate just about anything related to the government, the odds of that happening are virtually zero. And we'd better not whine and cry when other metro areas start to pass us by.

But if you try to discourage sprawl, then land and home prices soar which will make Atlanta less attractive for business. Encouraging Edge Cities would help reduce commutes. Each county for instance could develop its own urban core.

[MathmanMathman]

Originally Posted by tikigod311

Taxes or not, the spending rate is out of control. That is enough on its own for me to not like the guy. Just like I didn't like GW...

The large majority of the time, more FEDERAL government is a bad thing. The political conversations in this country should focus more on what the states can do and not make every government solution a federal one. Let states do what they want. What works for GA doesn't necessarily work for CA.

Local control is a good thing. But I will give exceptions to some civil rights issues and the environment.

I agree. It's getting to the point that we can't do anything without federal help. How is it that we can't build a 2.6 mile street car system without federal funds?

[cqholt]

How is it that we can't build a 2.6 mile street car system without federal funds?

The feds were handing money out, so Atlanta took advantage. If we didn't get it some other city would have. Better that Atlanta got it.

[gtcorndog]

Originally Posted by cqholt

The feds were handing money out, so Atlanta took advantage. If we didn't get it some other city would have. Better that Atlanta got it.

This "I gotsta gets mines!" attitude is just as appalling as the federal governnent getting involved in these local issues.

[neil0311]

Originally Posted by Lady's Man

the fact that there even has to be a debate over a ONE PERCENT TEMPORARY sales tax increase is laughable. It's not like we're funding the swingers club. What is more important to a city than transportation and infrastructure? I just dont get it. These future improvements will benefit everyone.

If 1% is such a trivial amount to you, then feel free to send me 1% of every purchase you make. Furthermore, collecting the tax is only part of the equation. The other half is what you spend the money on, and whether you are getting value for the money you collect and spend.

As for the "these future improvements will benefit everyone" comment, I don't agree. While projects share funding and tax collections at a state level and state taxes aren't earmarked, this tax is an earmark for a specific purpose. It's always amusing to me how projects proposed within the City of Atlanta or that relate to transit are considered "good for the region" or that they "will benefit everyone" when that's not demonstrably true.

[cqholt]

This "I gotsta gets mines!" attitude is just as appalling as the federal governnent getting involved in these local issues

That's a very racial statement the way you put it. The fact that the City of Atlanta wanted to build a starter streetcar from Federal funds that are offered to all cities.

It's always amusing to me how projects proposed within the City of Atlanta or that relate to transit are considered "good for the region" or that they "will benefit everyone" when that's not demonstrably true.

How will interchange upgrades to 285/20, 285/400, and 285/85 help "everyone"?

[atltechdude]

Originally Posted by cqholt

That's a very racial statement the way you put it. The fact that the City of Atlanta wanted to build a starter streetcar from Federal funds that are offered to all cities.

How will interchange upgrades to 285/20, 285/400, and 285/85 help "everyone"?

Not everyone but a huge percentage of the people in metro ATL who drive have gone through those interchanges.

[cqholt]

Not everyone but a huge percentage of the people in metro ATL who drive have gone through those interchanges

Lets see the facts since everyone on here talks about the facts? I never drive thru those interchanges and know several others that avoid the interstates, taking surface streets.

[onemanarmy]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Lets see the facts since everyone on here talks about the facts? I never drive thru those interchanges and know several others that avoid the interstates, taking surface streets.

Yep, I for one can count on one hand how many times in the last five years I've driven through any of those interchanges, especially the 285/400.

[toll_booth]

Originally Posted by Lady's Man

the fact that there even has to be a debate over a ONE PERCENT TEMPORARY sales tax increase is laughable. It's not like we're funding the swingers club. What is more important to a city than transportation and infrastructure? I just dont get it. These future improvements will benefit everyone.

Because roads are evil librul soshalist big guv'mint. If we would just privatize all our roads, they would magically get better, and all our traffic problems would disappear. Ayn Rand told me so!