Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Transit DeKalb mayors to consider joining circle of one-cent transportation tax critics
Posted by Thomas Wheatley @thomaswheatley on Tue, Oct 5, 2010 at 1:08 PM
Decatur Metro brings word that the mayors of Fulton County cities who've signaled they might not support a 2012 one-cent sales tax referendum that, if passed, could generate billions in new transportation funding, have asked DeKalb County mayors to join their ranks and urge other metro Atlanta counties to form a regional transit system prior to the vote.
Decaturite paints the scene of Monday night's Decatur City Commission meeting:
[Decatur Mayor Bill] Floyd relayed to the room that since the last commissioner’s meeting two weeks ago, the Fulton mayors had asked the DeKalb mayors to join their resolution — which stated that the County would only support a second transportation penny sales tax on top of the current MARTA penny, if Gwinnett, Cobb and Clayton County agreed to creating a regional transportation plan — instead of starting a parallel effort in DeKalb.One person who's not on board with the idea at the moment is Mayor Kasim Reed, whose personal lobbying efforts are credited with finally convincing state lawmakers to do something about Georgia's inadequate transportation funding and congestion woes and passing legislation that puts the referendum before voters.The mayor mentioned that he had spoken with all the DeKalb mayors at this point, and all were on-board with his original resolution.
On Monday, the AJC reports, the mayor dropped by Atlanta City Council and voiced his support for the sales tax. He told council that, if passed, the new funding would be equivalent to a stimulus for metro Atlanta that could help create jobs — especially for the middle class. Last week the mayor made a similar pitch to the North Fulton Chamber of Commerce.
Reed understands that getting lawmakers to OK the referendum was the easy part. Convincing voters to cough up an extra penny on every dollar they spend to build transportation projects, however, will be a tough sell. Should the mayors of two counties whose support is vital to passing the measure not show support for the referendum, its chances at the polls could become even more difficult.
Comments (4)
Showing 1-4 of 4
So an 8% sales tax in DeKalb? 9% in city of Atlanta? 2% for transportation? And its 2% that's does not fall under the exemption for necessary groceries thus 2% on food bought at the Grocery Store? Another 1% so they can build more roads?
North Fulton (aka I wanna be Milton) chamber probably is all for it since it will build infrastructure to alpharatta a so they can sell their undeveloped land for more office campuses and power malls - same with Gwinnett and Forsyth.
I forget, why a sales tax? why didn't we raise the gas tax by a nickle or dime. Isn't this just further subsidization of sprawl? An unfair portion of which falls on the poor if like DeKalb's Host and MARTA tax it doesn't exempt grocery taxes.
And what does a regional transit system end up being funded by? 2% from DeKalb and Fulton and 1% everywhere else?
All these costs they are piling on are a direct result of the absolute failure by our "county leaders" to try to guide development in a fashion that is sustainable from a transportation point of view. So now I want them to "guide" more of my tax dollars for transpo projects?
Geez we keep letting them widen 75, 85 and 400 north of 285 where are all those cars supposed to go when they get to 285?
1% on top of the MARTA 1%? You realize what we could do from a transpo point of view if we collected 2% for MARTA in just Fulton and DeKalb? Beltline check, 285 Transit, Check, Transit to the Emory CDC Clifton road corridor Check, Peachtree/Auburn street car....umm i'd take some prepay bus stops, signal priority and 10 minute headways past bar closing time - or at least restaurant employee clock out time on the 110 peachtree bus line.
2% on my groceries?
And how in the world can they form a legitimate regional transit system before 2012? Doesn't a regional transit system depend on a funding source? Doesn't that bring us back to DeKalb and Fulton paying 2% and everyone else paying 1%? Surely we aren't expecting the counties to embrace a regional 1% transit tax and a 1% transportation tax.
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InAtl,
"And how in the world can they form a legitimate regional transit system before 2012? Doesn't a regional transit system depend on a funding source? Doesn't that bring us back to DeKalb and Fulton paying 2% and everyone else paying 1%? Surely we aren't expecting the counties to embrace a regional 1% transit tax and a 1% transportation tax."
Mayor Mike Bodker of Johns Creek said the counties could form intergovernmental agreements and pool resources with or without the Legislature's approval. While that might be the case, I have to admit I've wondered the same thing you ask: How is any of this possible in the small window of time and without any new cash (or even means of raising new cash)? The Regional Transit Committee, which Mayor Reed chairs, is looking at all these issues. That's the reason why Reed is asking for all sides to be patient and focus first and foremost on passing the tax.
And although lawmakers say they might not have the appetite to pass transportation-related bills to fix these problems, I imagine you're going to see some try.
Thomas, Thanks and interesting. Also good to know I'm not entirely crazy and others wonder about some of the same things.
I'm leery on Reed's focus on passing the tax first and asking questions later - and this coming from a liberal who apparently just wants to tax and spend!
By the way MARTA posted to their facebook page an audio recording of Federal Transit's Ray LaHood and Peter Rogoff praising MARTA management in relation to awarding of funds in connection with Paratransit service. Seems like the people who criticize the way MARTA is managed the most are the ones contributing the least ... our State Legislators. http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Atlanta-G…
ParaTransit service is expensive but necessary - I'm not sure how the other counties fund it but our 1% covers that also.
Is it a hallucination to think voters will pass the tax first and accept the details later? Mayor Reid might be smooth, but is he Houdini?
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