MARTA: Cut Service Or Raise Fares?? (Atlanta, Valdosta: tax rates, light rail, suburban)

[atlantagreg30127]

Since HOPEFULLY everyone is back ON TOPIC now! (dang, teaches me for working late).

In theory, Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle is much more into transit funding than Perdue ever thought of being, but he's still not a huge fan of MARTA.

I don't have time to Google for the specs, but just in the last couple of days he was interviewed by one of the local stations. His opinion HINTED at the fact he supports the State putting money into commuter rail and other rail type projects, BUT (big BUT), he also hinted that MARTA should continue to simply fund itself. In other words, for whatever reason, if he gets the Governor's seat as he's aiming for next term, he will do some stuff to add to the metro region's transit issues, but it doesn't sound like MARTA is going to get much (if any) State support even from him.

My guess is that the guys in the State house are not happy with the way MARTA is run, who's running it, etc., and unless that changes, it may not matter who gets in there - MARTA is sol when it comes to getting State funding.

On his site, there are a couple of sentences that hint at his views towards transit: georgia.gov - Lt. Governor Casey Cagle: Senate Will Consider Transportation Bill First Week of Session

[jeffreda30238]

I'm not sure why GA has yet to get a state funded rail system. To raise the fares would be ridiculous because it does not go everywhere like the subway system in NY or DC. If it had more accessiblity, I might be more apt to paying more. Why pay more to get less or the same? How about MARTA add more stops and go more places than up-down, left-right.... I mean with the way the population literally doubles every year, you would think they would go ahead and expand the rail system and quit worrying about the highways because the traffic still sucks in the end!

[RZaakir]

For what it's worth, there is a comprehensive transit plan out there and it was recently blessed by the Atlanta Regional Commission:

CfPT Atlanta Transit Blog (http://www.cfpt.org/blog.php?id=129 - broken link)

The ARC blessing doesn't mean that it's going to be funded, but it does make it eligible for federal funding consideration which means it could get kickstarted by the stimulus package that will come down from DC this year.

[jeffreda30238]

Originally Posted by RZaakir

For what it's worth, there is a comprehensive transit plan out there and it was recently blessed by the Atlanta Regional Commission:

CfPT Atlanta Transit Blog (http://www.cfpt.org/blog.php?id=129 - broken link)

The ARC blessing doesn't mean that it's going to be funded, but it does make it eligible for federal funding consideration which means it could get kickstarted by the stimulus package that will come down from DC this year.

Now that looks more like it. If they end up implementing this, I would be MORE than happy to pay the extra!

[AcidSnake]

Question: Why won't the State of Georgia simply take over MARTA and rename it as something else? If the excuse has always been bad leadership, then why not just disband it? What is the point behind having MARTOC to oversee MARTA? I wish someone can answer that question for me.

[johnatl]

You would have to ask our Governor, Boss Hogg. He seems to be the big hold up.

[grindin]

I would love for the state of Georgia to clean house with MARTA if they feel it is so bad, but I can imagine the outcome of it, and it won't be pretty. Lots of fingerpointing and accusations of racism, ya'll know the drill around here.

And like others are saying, it's the rural politicians who gain cool points with the locals by sticking it to "big bad Atlanta" to keep anything remotely progressive from occurring here.

Besides, it's mostly the suburbs, not the city itself that has most of the sprawl issues and bad planning. And there are a lot of anti-transit people out there as well.

[AcidSnake]

Ther are a lot things that I think are so b--t backwards about this Atlanta vs. Georgia vs. MARTA. I just want to know why the State can't just take over MARTA. I'm pretty sure a lot of people don't mind one way or another.

[onemanarmy]

Originally Posted by AcidSnake

Ther are a lot things that I think are so b--t backwards about this Atlanta vs. Georgia vs. MARTA. I just want to know why the State can't just take over MARTA. I'm pretty sure a lot of people don't mind one way or another.

I'm guessing if the State would rather talk about all of MARTA problems rather than come up with solutions. They are aware of all of the regional cooperation problems and funding constraints placed on MARTA via the State. They know the only way to fix MARTA is to allocate resources they have earmarked for pet projects and pork in rural georgia. So why would they dare take over MARTA, it would eat into their pockets and also leave them responsible, if the State turns out to be just as incompetent without the current MARTA excuse of funding issues. Win Win situation for our good ole Gov!

[johnatl]

^Bingo!

To sum it up, Go Fish!