Georgia House has passed a bill to privatize parts of MARTA (Atlanta: get credit, sales tax)

[MattCW]

Originally Posted by ChefRamsey

One in the same. The Civil War was over slavery and states rights. What will the Civil War of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport be over? Who gets to keep the ants on the ceiling?

I hate to see race get in between politics.

A "civil war" is simply a war fought between two parties of the same country, NOTHING to do with race one way, or another. Civil wars might be fought over race, but a civil war in and of itself has NOTHING to do with race.

While I agree with gtcorndog that a "civil war" is a bit of an overstatement for describing the potential fallout of privatizing the airport, there would be some really nasty political fighting if that were ever seriously proposed.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by arjay57

cq, I don't understand the objection to outsourcing paratransit and back office functions.

According to the KPMG study, MARTA is getting hammered on paratransit costs. MARTA’s cost per trip is $50.43, as compared to $39 59 in the sourced market. If MARTA can save $42,940,000 over the next five years by outsourcing, why would we not want to do that?

Moreover, as KPMG notes, there are readily available vendors in the market who offer competitive pricing. In addition, many of our peer transit agencies already outsource their paratransit service.

We can also save a fortune by outsourcing back office functions, which MARTA does extremely inefficiently.

Why would we want to be hardheaded about continuing to waste much needed transit money?

The state, that provides no funding, should not interfere in local transit agencies that they do not fund. This decision should come from Fulton, DeKalb, & Atlanta. The citizens that approved and fund the 9th busiest transit agency in america should be the ones that demand this type of change. Imagine atlanta with half a million more cars on roads.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by cwkimbro

To be fair, it is mainly because it is only the local government funding the thing and the state's lack of helping.

In my opinion the mantra about MARTA being the only major transit agency that doesn't get state support is way overplayed.

First of all, MARTA has been granted by the state the power to levy a 1% sales tax on every dollar spent in Fulton and DeKalb counties. That scarfs up a lot of money from people who don't live in Fulton or DeKalb or even in Georgia. These state authorized taxes generate hundreds of millions of dollars every year. Secondly, MARTA has been granted the power to condemn land and has exercised that power to acquire very extensive real estate holdings. Thirdly, MARTA has been given the power to enter into lease backs and other complex financial transactions. Fourthly, MARTA has been given the right to issue bonds. Fifthly, MARTA has been authorized to accept hundred of millions in federal funding over the years and has been aided by the state in seeking those funds. Finally, in some cases the state of Georgia has made direct financial grants to MARTA.

And needless to say, MARTA is allowed to charge fares which generate around $140 million a year.

Also, bear in mind that many other big transit systems don't get state financing.

For example, here are BART's funding sources:



This is the way they do it in DC:



And in Chicago:

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by arjay57

In my opinion the mantra about MARTA being the only major transit agency that doesn't get state support is way overplayed.

First of all, MARTA has been granted by the state the power to levy a 1% sales tax on every dollar spent in Fulton and DeKalb counties. That scarfs up a lot of money from people who don't live in Fulton or DeKalb or even in Georgia. These state authorized taxes generate hundreds of millions of dollars every year. Secondly, MARTA has been granted the power to condemn land and has exercised that power to acquire very extensive real estate holdings. Thirdly, MARTA has been given the power to enter into lease backs and other complex financial transactions. Fourthly, MARTA has been given the right to issue bonds. Fifthly, MARTA has been authorized to accept hundred of millions in federal funding over the years and has been aided by the state in seeking those funds. Finally, in some cases the state of Georgia has made direct financial grants to MARTA.

And needless to say, MARTA is allowed to charge fares which generate around $140 million a year.

Also, bear in mind that many other big transit systems don't get state financing.

For example, here are BART's funding sources:



This is the way they do it in DC:



And in Chicago:

Great visuals!
Seems WMATA gets a good chuck of states fundin.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Great visuals!
Seems WMATA gets a good chuck of states fundin.

It comes from the counties.

[ARaider08]

"the measure would privatize its para transit bus service as well as back office functions within the next five years."
I think the privatization of these isn't a bad thing.
“MARTA is not an industry, it’s a government authority and frankly it can take some lessons from the private sector… so it operates more efficiently,” says bill sponsor Rep. Mike Jacobs (R-Brookhaven)
Spoken like a true Republican.
Hm.. Think I just found my economics studies project... I think it's because Georgia invests so much more in its road system that it feels the benefits from an effective public transit system do not warrant the costs. People would rather have a road system that breathes congestion, pollution and inefficient use of land than a mass transit where you may have to sit next to somebody playing music a little too loudly...

Originally Posted by arjay57

Snip

Can you get one of these for MARTA? Great data visualizations. May have to make my own.

[Atlwarrior]

It's not about Marta, but power. First of all Georgia have to many counties, which produces too many logjams in local government, and State Government. I sense a lawsuit coming, I'm sure it is a primary authority on the Federal level that could be use to stop all this small mentality silliness in State Government.

[gtcorndog]

Originally Posted by arjay57

In my opinion the mantra about MARTA being the only major transit agency that doesn't get state support is way overplayed.

First of all, MARTA has been granted by the state the power to levy a 1% sales tax on every dollar spent in Fulton and DeKalb counties. That scarfs up a lot of money from people who don't live in Fulton or DeKalb or even in Georgia. These state authorized taxes generate hundreds of millions of dollars every year. Secondly, MARTA has been granted the power to condemn land and has exercised that power to acquire very extensive real estate holdings. Thirdly, MARTA has been given the power to enter into lease backs and other complex financial transactions. Fourthly, MARTA has been given the right to issue bonds. Fifthly, MARTA has been authorized to accept hundred of millions in federal funding over the years and has been aided by the state in seeking those funds. Finally, in some cases the state of Georgia has made direct financial grants to MARTA.

And needless to say, MARTA is allowed to charge fares which generate around $140 million a year.

Also, bear in mind that many other big transit systems don't get state financing.

For example, here are BART's funding sources:



This is the way they do it in DC:



And in Chicago:

Outstanding post!

Glad to see someone else gets it.

[SEAandATL]

Originally Posted by Atlwarrior

How arrogant can GA State officials be. It is all about power and not Marta. Sound like they are trying to set a precedent in the OCGA and then go after privatizing Hartsfield airport, which is the State of Georgia goal.

Privatizing H-J wouldn't be a bad idea. Many of the worlds major airports are privatized, including Tokyo Narita, London Heathrow, and Paris Charles de Gaulle. I think this is a good thing for MARTA,
and all future transit such as the Beltline and commuter rail lines should be privatized as well.

[jsvh]

Originally Posted by arjay57

First of all, MARTA has been granted by the state the power to levy a 1% sales tax on every dollar spent in Fulton and DeKalb counties. These state authorized taxes generate hundreds of millions of dollars every year.

Only because the state limited this power. The tax was passed by Fulton & Dekalb voters. Other counties did not pass it, which is fine, they can figure out their own transit problem. The state does not get credit for counties voting to tax themselves for their own benefit.

Originally Posted by arjay57

Secondly, MARTA has been granted the power to condemn land and has exercised that power to acquire very extensive real estate holdings.

True

Originally Posted by arjay57

Thirdly, MARTA has been given the power to enter into lease backs and other complex financial transactions. Fourthly, MARTA has been given the right to issue bonds. Fifthly, MARTA has been authorized to accept hundred of millions in federal funding over the years and has been aided by the state in seeking those funds. Finally, in some cases the state of Georgia has made direct financial grants to MARTA.

All of these things are true of a private business. Why is MARTA special in needing the power to do them? Only because the state limits it otherwise. Plus their are many other handicaps and micro-managing that the state does to MARTA that do not apply to private business.


Look, the privatization of these areas will be a good thing for MARTA. But this KPMG audit was requested by MARTA (in spite of many people on this board being critical of money being spent on consultants), and the new director is putting in a timeline to institute the measures. But this bill is nothing but politics. It is the state exercising its power trip to try to take credit for something that is already happening. But probably making things worse by rushing some imperfect legislation that will further complicate operations for MARTA.