MARTA will set aside 1% of it's annual budget for public art (Atlanta: lawyer, live in)

[Gulch]

The meltdown in this thread is glorious.

[MattCW]

Originally Posted by cqholt

MARTA is much better now than under Dr. Beverly Scott.

If it's so much better, then why is it so much worse?

Originally Posted by fourthwarden

I would easily consider this part of getting better, especially if it includes cleaning the stations.

Your daily commuter doesn't give a rats backside about how pretty the stations look. They care about operational matters, like schedule adherence, and onboard services (WiFi/Cell service). No daily commuter, which is the core market MARTA should be targeting, cares what kind of art is sitting somewhere, when they're crawling through yet another slow zone, or standing on a platform waiting for 20 minutes on a train that was supposed to be there 10 minutes ago.

[jsvh]

Originally Posted by MattCW

If it's so much better, then why is it so much worse?

It's not. Besides you, there is about unanimous agreement MARTA is better under KP.

Originally Posted by MattCW

Your daily commuter doesn't give a rats backside about how pretty the stations look.

Ah but they do. There is a reason companies spend so much on things like design and marketing. Looks matter.

[MattCW]

Originally Posted by jsvh

It's not. Besides you, there is about unanimous agreement MARTA is better under KP.

Then why was the Decatur slow-zone expanded? Why has the slow-zone north of Arts Center not only appeared, but not been fixed since November? Why has rail vehicle reliability dropped?

Ah but they do. There is a reason companies spend so much on things like design and marketing. Looks matter.

Obviously you're not a daily transit commuter. I was (I left, see above). I tried to use MARTA because I thought it was the most convenient and most reliable form of transportation, just like the quarter-million other people that use it, not because they hired someone to throw some paint on a wall. Then I discovered that driving was not only far quicker, but far more reliable, and far more flexible. And this comes from one of this forum's strongest transit supporters who has held onto the idea of transit despite coming from the rosy-red suburbs, and who lives 5 minutes from a MARTA station, and works literally across the street from one!

[bu2]

Originally Posted by fourthwarden

Which is why the art projects come out of the GENERAL budget, not the SALES TAX. The purpose of the general budget is to provide for the agency as a whole, like increase the aesthetics and inviting nature of the system to improve its perception and use.

Money is fungible.

[bu2]

Originally Posted by cqholt

I never stated 0.1%, so you need to check your facts Jack. Yes, the $2.5M can grow or go down based off the operating budget. It can also be removed if MARTA board feels they need to end it for better flexibility, which they have now that the State removed it's talons from the agency.
People judge MARTA because of it's stations, which are not ornate like some of the Manhattan MTA stations or WMATA vaulted stations. Adding color and art to the stations will make the riders feel better about themselves and the agency. It will show the public and neighborhood that MARTA cares about them.

Maybe you should pay attention to who you quote. Its in 4thwarden's post that you quoted.

Manhattan's are mainly a dreary, dirty dump. DC is supported by the federal government. Atlanta's are generally clean and functional.

[bu2]

Originally Posted by jsvh

This is a silly line of thought. This art adds value to MARTA and makes it a more attractive and interesting option to take. By your logic, no business should be spending money on any marketing / making the packaging of their product or building more attractive. And on top of that, many companies make donations with a share of their revenue.

"Companies" is the key phrase. They are a private entity spending their own money. MARTA is spending ours and saying it doesn't have sufficient money to meet its transportation obligations, but has money to commit to art.

[JoeTarheel]

I'm never opposed to public art, but I don't recall it ever making me feel better about myself...better about the world around me maybe.

[fourthwarden]

Originally Posted by bu2

Money is fungible.

Not entirely, no. In fact, the money that will be collected from the sales tax increase will be legally restricted to voter-approved projects within the city of Atlanta, to be reviewed and verified by the state. It is a separate funding source, specifically for this upcoming round of expansions, and has little to nothing to do with art.

Originally Posted by MattCW

If it's so much better, then why is it so much worse?

Your daily commuter doesn't give a rats backside about how pretty the stations look. They care about operational matters, like schedule adherence, and onboard services (WiFi/Cell service). No daily commuter, which is the core market MARTA should be targeting, cares what kind of art is sitting somewhere, when they're crawling through yet another slow zone, or standing on a platform waiting for 20 minutes on a train that was supposed to be there 10 minutes ago.

But outward appearance IS important. It is important in ADDITION to the other things you mentioned. If MARTA can show that they are not a visible blight, that they generally look like they add to the neighborhood's character and charm, then NEW neighborhoods and towns will feel more at ease bringing in the agency and its infrastructure.

Do you know for a fact that MARTA isn't working on fixing everything you mentioned? Do you know for a fact that those problems could be fixed, or fixed faster by just throwing more money at it?

Originally Posted by bu2

"Companies" is the key phrase. They are a private entity spending their own money. MARTA is spending ours and saying it doesn't have sufficient money to meet its transportation obligations, but has money to commit to art.

They're saying they don't have enough to expand the project lists that we're wanting to expand with the additional sales tax, which is VERY different than funding maintenance, tech upgrades, and fleet replacements, which MARTA is IN THE PROCESS of doing RIGHT NOW with or without the art funding.

There is such a wide gap between the surplus which they have, and what they need to finance the expansions that need to occur, it's ridiculous that you think that this $2 Mil. will make or break any of those other lines.

[abalashov]

Originally Posted by fourthwarden

Y'all're fooling y'all's selves if you think this will hurt the sales-tax vote.

You're assuming that voters can do math and aren't susceptible to demagoguery from starve-the-beast NIMBY types. :-)