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Health & Fitness

Mayor Wood's Support of Transit Is Misguided

Mayor Wood has publicly supported the idea of a new regional transit authority and with it, the implied support of a greatly expanded rail transit system. This is misguided nonsense.

Maria Saporta reported Wednesday morning that Mayor Jere Wood has publicly supported the idea of a new regional transit authority and with it, the implied support of a greatly expanded rail transit system. This is misguided nonsense.

Top Ten Reasons To Vote Against The TIA-T-SPLOST

  1. 53 percent of T-SPLOST funds will go into rail projects.
  2. Rail transit does nothing to reduce congestion.
  3. Rail transit has the highest cost per passenger
    mile of any form of transportation.
  4. Rail transit has higher emissions per passenger
    mile than auto on a total system basis.
  5. T-SPLOST will be governed under the same rules as SPLOST.  In this Georgia Code all SPLOST and TSPLOST debt and projects will be backed by property taxes. From the bill: "Such general obligation debt shall, however, constitute a pledge of the full faith, credit, and taxing power of the county or qualified municipality within the special district issuing such debt; and any liability on such debt which is not satisfied from the proceeds of the tax authorized by this part shall be satisfied from the general funds of the county or qualified municipality within the special district issuing such debt."
  6. T-SPLOST passage will result in a new regional transit governance agency that will have the power to overrule local cities and counties.
  7. None of the proposed rail projects is fully funded and there is no provision for ongoing maintenance. We will end up paying much more than 1 percent.
  8. Major funding will go to MARTA to overcome inept past management.
  9. We’re already paying a 1 percent sales tax for MARTA
  10. ARC cites $924 congestion cost per commuter as a rationale to fund:
  • TIA-AR-037, MARTA North Heavy Rail with a project cost of $6,271 per person
  • TIA-CO-035, Enhanced premium transit with a project cost of $14,881 per person
  • TIA-CL-006, Clayton County bus service with a project cost of $15,267 per person
  • TIA-AR-041, GRTA Express bus with a project cost of $18,842 per person
  • TIA-M-023, I-20 East transit corridor investments with a project cost of $38,462 per person
  • TIA-AT-004/007, Atlanta Beltline & Streetcar with a project cost of $106,530 per person
  • TIA-M-028, Clifton Corridor Transit, with a project cost of $137,255 per person

No rational person who knows the facts could support this campaign.

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