If transportation vote fails, is there a plan B? (Atlanta: sales, how much)

[noah]

http://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta/if-t...478341.htmlhat

What I don't fully understand (being a transplant) is why a local county or city needs approval from the state legislature before they can propose a sales tax increase to pay for local improvements and on top of that the legislature apparently has the power to determine the structure of such a tax, how it is to be spent, presented etc.

Rather then one big region, perhaps the vote would have worked better as small regions, which kept their own dollars collected. Why cannot the city of Atlanta vote on a tax increase to pay for the Beltline. They did the same for the Sewer project (Is that a different case or is it possible for the city to propose a vote).

Can someone with knowledge of state laws help me understand what can and can not be done.


The other item I have not heard mentioned at all is the condition of many of the bridges downtown (and probably elsewhere). The fact that police and emergency responders are not permitted to drive over certain bridges highlights just how bad and unsafe some of these bridges are.

[cqholt]

The Transportation Referendum was meant to be a regional vote, since the traffic issue is regional. The issue is people will travel, cross county lines, but refuse to think regionally. They have a selfish thought. The BeltLine will get built no matter what, MARTA will continue to operate. The big question is how will the major interchanges get rebuilt is GDOT has barely enough to maintain the current infrastructure? This is a way for us, the voter, to take responsibility and self-tax ourselves to improve the quality of life for everyone in the metro.

[upstateforchanger]

Originally Posted by cqholt

The Transportation Referendum was meant to be a regional vote, since the traffic issue is regional. The issue is people will travel, cross county lines, but refuse to think regionally. They have a selfish thought. The BeltLine will get built no matter what, MARTA will continue to operate. The big question is how will the major interchanges get rebuilt is GDOT has barely enough to maintain the current infrastructure? This is a way for us, the voter, to take responsibility and self-tax ourselves to improve the quality of life for everyone in the metro.

The majority is selfish or just doesn't understand. If it fails there will be no plan B...I would recommend they add tolls to every somewhat major state road and try and get the feds to agree to allow them to turn the interstates into toll roads. When people can't do good for themselves, make them do it.

[gtcorndog]

Originally Posted by upstateforchanger

The majority is selfish or just doesn't understand. If it fails there will be no plan B...I would recommend they add tolls to every somewhat major state road and try and get the feds to agree to allow them to turn the interstates into toll roads. When people can't do good for themselves, make them do it.

Clearly if this doesn't pass the sky will fall and the World will promptly come to an end. If it fails, perhaps they will evaluate why it fails and come up with a plan that fits the wants/needs of the people and doesn't waste $600 million on deferred MARTA maintenance and $900 million on a light rail route that will add just 10,000 riders.

[noah]

Which is why perhaps the tax vote should be more local. Atlanta wants to spend on light rail as most city centers across the country are or want to, while the rest of the metro wants to spend on roads.

Net result - Those on both sides want to vote no.


Question remains: Does a city or county have the right to propose such a vote or does only the state legislature have such power? How did the sewer sales tax or the APS sales tax come about?

Originally Posted by gtcorndog

and $900 million on a light rail route that will add just 10,000 riders.

[neil0311]

Originally Posted by gtcorndog

Clearly if this doesn't pass the sky will fall and the World will promptly come to an end. If it fails, perhaps they will evaluate why it fails and come up with a plan that fits the wants/needs of the people and doesn't waste $600 million on deferred MARTA maintenance and $900 million on a light rail route that will add just 10,000 riders.

Wow...Fox News and talk radio couldn't have said it better. Completely agree.

[neil0311]

Originally Posted by upstateforchanger

The majority is selfish or just doesn't understand.

Now this BS pisses me off. You can disagree, and you can have a different opinion, but I am sick and effin tired of the "know better than you" crowd dismissing opposition of this TSPLOST plan as "selfish" or "stupid" or "racist" or whatever dismissive and condescending adjective you want to insert.

There has been much conversation and debate on this forum and in the public arena, and valid and well thought out arguments have been presented in opposition of the TSPLOST. If you want to characterize that opposition as people being "selfish" or lacking an understanding, then I think the issue is with you and not them.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by gtcorndog

Clearly if this doesn't pass the sky will fall and the World will promptly come to an end. If it fails, perhaps they will evaluate why it fails and come up with a plan that fits the wants/needs of the people and doesn't waste $600 million on deferred MARTA maintenance and $900 million on a light rail route that will add just 10,000 riders.

You keep on bring up the same cap. What about the millions spent to rebuild the 400/285 interchange? 400 has a revenue source why does everyone got to pay for something the state should have done instead of building 4 lane highways in south GA. I hope you never have to use transit in your life as much as you step on it here. MARTA is a regional rail system that transports 250,000 people per day, tourist, and conventioneers. It is a needed system and the state will not let go of its death grip on a transit system it gives $0 to. How much state funds go to GCT or CCT? Why don't you complain about that.

[gtcorndog]

Originally Posted by cqholt

You keep on bring up the same cap. What about the millions spent to rebuild the 400/285 interchange? 400 has a revenue source why does everyone got to pay for something the state should have done instead of building 4 lane highways in south GA. I hope you never have to use transit in your life as much as you step on it here. MARTA is a regional rail system that transports 250,000 people per day, tourist, and conventioneers. It is a needed system and the state will not let go of its death grip on a transit system it gives $0 to. How much state funds go to GCT or CCT? Why don't you complain about that.

How many people a day would a new I-285/400 interchange impact? Hundreds of thousands. Huge impact.

How many people would a light rail line impact? 10,000 new riders (by 2030) would ride the entire route. Impact, minimal.


A vote against this is not a vote in support of the status quo policies. It is a vote against this particular proposal. I do think the state and region's funding of transportation and infrastructure do require a massive re-work. However, this proposal does not fix the real problems.

[Box]

I can kinda understand why Georgiana would vote against this. I mean Georgiana's aren't the thinest people, and taking public transportation would require walking and nobody wants to walk to wafflehouse. If God didn't want us to have fossils fuel, then he wouldn't have killed the dinosulaurs 3000 years ago.