MARTA T-SPLOST Revisited

The AJC, 3/31/18, “Bill could pave the way for MARTA” article credits the Georgia Legislature for revisiting the MARTA T-SPLOST that failed by 66% in 2012 and had a one cent sales tax increase to raise $4.5 billion for road projects that didn’t fix our congestion and $3.5 billion for public transit expansion subsidies.

This has the Atlanta Regional Commission’s finger prints all over it. North Point CID chief State Senator Brandon Beach sponsored the Bill to get $2.5 billion to expand the MARTA train from Sandy Springs to North Point.

The MARTA train connects the failing malls. Low ridership and low ticket prices combined with high expansion and operating costs are built in to prevent government public transit from becoming a self-supporting, profitable enterprise. It isn’t smart to expand a losing proposition and increase our losses. All public transit should be privatized to eliminate all tax subsidies and focus schedules on commuter hours.

The Bill adds a “special taxing district” for public transit to the unlimited powers of counties to fleece its voters. ARC expects counties to put the additional one cent sales tax increase on the ballot in 2019.

To help make the issue seem less onerous, the 4 government subsidized public transit agencies have been merged into something called “The ATL”. Also, rather than basing the vote on a “regional” majority, each county will determine whether or not to add this additional tax. Those counties who vote no should petition their county council to privatize public transit in their county.

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader