MARTA Expansion into Clayton = Long awaited Commuter Rail? (Atlanta, Alpharetta: school district, subdivisions)

[magnetar]

Originally Posted by Gulch

And these were the same three commissioners that voted to shut down C-Tran back in 2010.

Wow, seriously? Wonder how much longer they'll be around if this fails.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Good move MARTA, force their hand. The majority of the residents present at the vote last night wanted a full 1%.

Sounds like MARTA is really putting the screws to Clayton.

[MattCW]

MARTA board rejects half-penny Clayton sales tax | www.ajc.com
Well according to that, Clayton is getting a deal no one else was offered, namely that any money collection beyond what is required, doesn't simply get put into MARTA, it gets held for use within Clayton. Not sure if this was offered previously, or was first introduced with the 1% counter-proposal from MARTA.

[onemanarmy]

Originally Posted by MattCW

MARTA board rejects half-penny Clayton sales tax | www.ajc.com
Well according to that, Clayton is getting a deal no one else was offered, namely that any money collection beyond what is required, doesn't simply get put into MARTA, it gets held for use within Clayton. Not sure if this was offered previously, or was first introduced with the 1% counter-proposal from MARTA.

Interesting, but I don't see any problem with it. Given Clayton's sales tax projections, they will use up that 49mm in no time, but I think it's the CARROT that Gwinnett may be looking for. Since they will generate more sales tax than anyone.

[MattCW]

Clayton County chairman calls special meeting to discuss MARTA e - CBS46 News
Man, why can't the articles all just carry the same information? Anyways, it looks like the Chairman is calling a special meeting for 10am Saturday to discuss this. Not sure if discuss means literally just discuss, or if they plan to vote on it. Though Saturday seems to be cutting it a bit short to me.

[Gulch]

Originally Posted by MattCW

Clayton County chairman calls special meeting to discuss MARTA e - CBS46 News
Man, why can't the articles all just carry the same information? Anyways, it looks like the Chairman is calling a special meeting for 10am Saturday to discuss this. Not sure if discuss means literally just discuss, or if they plan to vote on it. Though Saturday seems to be cutting it a bit short to me.

Considering Friday is the 4th of July, that's probably the earliest they can meet.

[WanderingImport]

These bozos had better vote to accept the full penny sales tax as it was originally proposed. They deserve to give the citizens of Clayton that. Heck, that's what they want!

Originally Posted by onemanarmy

Interesting, but I don't see any problem with it. Given Clayton's sales tax projections, they will use up that 49mm in no time, but I think it's the CARROT that Gwinnett may be looking for. Since they will generate more sales tax than anyone.

I hope you're right. As a resident of Gwinnett, I would fully support MARTA's tax. The sooner, the better!

[mattee01]

Originally Posted by WanderingImport

These bozos had better vote to accept the full penny sales tax as it was originally proposed. They deserve to give the citizens of Clayton that. Heck, that's what they want!



I hope you're right. As a resident of Gwinnett, I would fully support MARTA's tax. The sooner, the better!

It hasn't been discussed in Gwinnett for a long time, why don't u address your representative? Gwinnett has a lot to gain from MARTA. With the amount of money they could bring in, I could see at least one HRT line being an extension from Doraville up 85 possibly as far as Gainesville and at least 12 bus routes.

[cwkimbro]

A quick note about Gwinnett...

Gwinnett is going to have the opposite problem of Clayton. It has more retail sales, than Fulton County and nearly as many people. However, all proposals in the past MARTA used to tempt Gwinnettians into MARTA had far less service than what Fulton has. It mostly relied on a heavy rail extension to Gwinnett Place Mall.

I'm pro transit and I grow very concerned about two things: 1) what happens to our retail base with the extra 1% vs potential for moving to Hall and Forsyth Counties 2) and we aren't used as a cash-cow merely to pay for intown busing in suburban style neighborhoods.... especially over time in the long-range.

I also wouldn't give up the SPLOST funding just for MARTA funding. That is one thing that has hurt Atlanta and Dekalb County, IMO. Capital improvements on parks and arterial streets are important, but neglected. We easily have another 20 years of needed projects to handle our county as it is 'built-out.' It is also worth nothing that we don't have the property tax digest Fulton and Atlanta has, so we rely on that SPLOST tax more....especially for capital expenses on schools. Gwinnett has become a destination school district for most socioeconomic groups that can't be underfunded with its growth. This sets Gwinnett out differently from how money is spent compared to other counties.

I also don't think we need the level of buses found in Dekalb and Fulton. I think busing needs to stick to the larger corridors and areas with higher densities and mixed residential uses and not spend so much money serving single family home subdivisions. Money needs to be better focused.

Despite the differences, Clayton leaders have some of these same issues in the back of their minds... what will happen to our retail base? Will more people shop in Henry Co? Will we have to cut back on SPLOST funding (or will voter support fade with the MARTA tax in place) in the future when the county still has pressing needs in parks, schools and arterial roads?

[bu2]

Originally Posted by cwkimbro

A quick note about Gwinnett...

Gwinnett is going to have the opposite problem of Clayton. It has more retail sales, than Fulton County and nearly as many people. However, all proposals in the past MARTA used to tempt Gwinnettians into MARTA had far less service than what Fulton has. It mostly relied on a heavy rail extension to Gwinnett Place Mall.

I'm pro transit and I grow very concerned about two things: 1) what happens to our retail base with the extra 1% vs potential for moving to Hall and Forsyth Counties 2) and we aren't used as a cash-cow merely to pay for intown busing in suburban style neighborhoods.... especially over time in the long-range.

I also wouldn't give up the SPLOST funding just for MARTA funding. That is one thing that has hurt Atlanta and Dekalb County, IMO. Capital improvements on parks and arterial streets are important, but neglected. We easily have another 20 years of needed projects to handle our county as it is 'built-out.' It is also worth nothing that we don't have the property tax digest Fulton and Atlanta has, so we rely on that SPLOST tax more....especially for capital expenses on schools. Gwinnett has become a destination school district for most socioeconomic groups that can't be underfunded with its growth. This sets Gwinnett out differently from how money is spent compared to other counties.

I also don't think we need the level of buses found in Dekalb and Fulton. I think busing needs to stick to the larger corridors and areas with higher densities and mixed residential uses and not spend so much money serving single family home subdivisions. Money needs to be better focused.

Despite the differences, Clayton leaders have some of these same issues in the back of their minds... what will happen to our retail base? Will more people shop in Henry Co? Will we have to cut back on SPLOST funding (or will voter support fade with the MARTA tax in place) in the future when the county still has pressing needs in parks, schools and arterial roads?

Houston handled the issue of the suburbs that didn't need the buses as much by setting aside 1/4 of their 1 cent tax to be returned to the city/county for approved road projects (you couldn't just re-pave a cul-de-sac-it had to be something that helped the overall system).