Orlando developer to buy former GM plant in Doraville (Atlanta: rental, school districts)

[afdinatl]

Originally Posted by ATLTJL

As a Gwinnett county resident, I have to concede that this might be the dumbest thing I have read ever.

Isn't the whole point of a referendum to SEE if it will pass or not?

Can politicians really kill votes based on their idiotic thoughts that they won't pass?

This is stupid.

No. They arent stupid. Well they are but the people that continue to vote them in are more stupid

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by bu2

His statement was a lot more sweeping than just transit.

Politicians stuck in their ways, out of touch with the metro, refusing to change the way things have been done ("conservative"), not understanding the area is changing and is not just mostly Black with some Anglos, but is rapidly diversifying. Gwinnet's probably a lot more in touch than DeKalb, Fulton or Cobb. Its the fastest growing of the 5 core counties.

And there's certainly a reasonable debate as to whether rail is the best way to do mass transit OTP.
Don't think there's a good argument that having a dozen different transit agencies is the best way to do it, but there are control issues when you join a bigger group.

Give the people the chance to vote and express their desire, what is the county commissioners afraid of, that MARTA will actually pass?

[Ant131531]

Originally Posted by jero23

The embolden sentence right here just nullified your entire argument. How is Gwinnett suppose to be more "in touch"? If your elected leadership doesn't reflect your demographics and/or substantive position on issues of the majority then you are clearly out-of-touch with reality.

BAM. This was the knockout. Great post. You can be diverse all you want...if the elected officials are still mostly white and conservative, it looks even worse.

[fourthwarden]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Give the people the chance to vote and express their desire, what is the county commissioners afraid of, that MARTA will actually pass?

I think there still needs to be a better rallying point that anchors the MARTA vote. Maybe devote some time and money to do surveys and transit alternative assessments with Gwinnett voters. Have a plan, like with Clayton, but with more solid work done, as to where buses are gonna go, where dedicated right of way transit is gonna go.

Are they going to try to extend HRT? Are they Going to establish Commuter rail. Both? What about BRT and LRT possibilities?

Could a revive 285 type project be funded on top of everything else? So on and so on. They don't have to be ready to break ground, but questions like 'how much?', 'where?', 'how?' ,and 'how long?' are questions that should have realistic answers.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by fourthwarden

I think there still needs to be a better rallying point that anchors the MARTA vote. Maybe devote some time and money to do surveys and transit alternative assessments with Gwinnett voters. Have a plan, like with Clayton, but with more solid work done, as to where buses are gonna go, where dedicated right of way transit is gonna go.

Are they going to try to extend HRT? Are they Going to establish Commuter rail. Both? What about BRT and LRT possibilities?

Could a revive 285 type project be funded on top of everything else? So on and so on. They don't have to be ready to break ground, but questions like 'how much?', 'where?', 'how?' ,and 'how long?' are questions that should have realistic answers.

The future transit roll out plan MARTA did for Clayton was solid. It should bus routes, time frames and a fixed-guide transitway. Without doing the LPA and EIR the decision on the type of transit to run is a waste of time.

[bu2]

Originally Posted by fourthwarden

I think there still needs to be a better rallying point that anchors the MARTA vote. Maybe devote some time and money to do surveys and transit alternative assessments with Gwinnett voters. Have a plan, like with Clayton, but with more solid work done, as to where buses are gonna go, where dedicated right of way transit is gonna go.

Are they going to try to extend HRT? Are they Going to establish Commuter rail. Both? What about BRT and LRT possibilities?

Could a revive 285 type project be funded on top of everything else? So on and so on. They don't have to be ready to break ground, but questions like 'how much?', 'where?', 'how?' ,and 'how long?' are questions that should have realistic answers.

There's been ONE survey that showed support. That's not a lot to go on.

They need some discussion of what their approach should be and what they need. That's hardly irresponsible before permanently adding a 1 cent sales tax.

[bu2]

Originally Posted by jero23

The embolden sentence right here just nullified your entire argument. How is Gwinnett suppose to be more "in touch"? If your elected leadership doesn't reflect your demographics and/or substantive position on issues of the majority then you are clearly out-of-touch with reality.

Gwinnett is the best run school system and best run county government. They keep getting elected because of that. That's kind of the definition of in touch. The definition of in touch doesn't mean agreeing with what city of Atlanta residents want for Gwinnett.

[Ant131531]

Decatur. North Fulton, and East Cobb have better schools than Gwinnett does.

[bu2]

Originally Posted by Ant131531

Decatur. North Fulton, and East Cobb have better schools than Gwinnett does.

So Fulton gets to exclude South Fulton and Cobb gets to exclude the rest of Cobb? And Decatur gets to compare to a whole county?

Gwinnett has gotten the Broad prize TWICE! Gwinnett schools overall run circles around Cobb and Fulton. Its not close. At all.

But really the discussion is more about county government than schools. And Gwinnett does a pretty good job. They get some arrests too, but not as many.

[Ant131531]

And Gwinnett gets to ignore the South Gwinnett schools? Not all of Gwinnett schools are good.