Don McKee
Fact Checker: 1. Redboard claims that this is a ten-year tax, minimum. In reality, the tax is tied to both years and dollars. If the revenue projections set by the state economist are met in only 8 years and 3 months, then the investment stops immediately. 2. Redboard also implies that construction schedules will correlate with the funding of the RTR. It will not take 10 years to complete every project on the list. In reality, building the infrastructure of a BRT will take far less time, and would be able to begin serving commuters far sooner than 2026.
Clearly, the facts indicate that this referendum is a critical part of Cobb County’s future when it comes to jobs and economic development. However, the anti-job, anti-progress crowd is having to resort to blatantly misleading and inflammatory rhetoric to try to achieve their ends. I hope everyone will take the opportunity to check their facts.
Permanent 10 yr tax: The TSPLOST/TIA is for ten years, but after we spend $700 million on a train or super bus, who is going to shut the train down? And, by the way, $700 million only buys a train from Arts Center to Galleria, so we’ll need another $700 to build it out to Acworth or wherever. Consider operations and maintenance costs. MARTA can’t live on 1% tax, why should we expect Cobb to do better? And it is widely accepted that fare box revenue only will cover 25% of Operation and Maintenance cost.
There is no provision in TSPLOST/TIA for ongoing operations and maintenance costs. So the government will be back in year 10 for an extension. Plainly you will be paying for decades if it passes.
CobbCountyRedneck: The federal government, specifically the Federal Transit Administration, will not provide any federal funding or grants for the proposed light rail system nor for the enhanced bus system or for any other local transit system unless the local community imposes a permanent tax to cover expenses of the operation and maintenance of that system. That’s why there is no way that Fulton and Dekalb can repeal their 1% tax for MARTA. And even that is not enough to keep the system financially viable. They are bankrupt now and becoming more so each and every day.
That’s the truth. It is the special interest proponents of the light rail/enhanced BRT or whatever it has evolved into now that are misleading and misinforming potential voters in order to manipulate them into voting the way they want them to. They want you to blindly vote for and commit to a financial “black hole.” Take any other publicly operated transit system in this country or for that matter the entire world and you will see that it takes a substantial taxpayer subsidy to sustain them.
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Are you kidding? Show me one case where local taxes actually were cut following their supposed sunset date. How about GA400 tolls?
But skip all that. Who the heck is going to fund operations of the guaranteed-to-be-a-money-loser BRT or Cumberland street car systems? Anyone? If they are lucky, these systems will pay for about 30% of their operating costs from fares. Where does the other 70% come from, Fact Checker????
Well of course....from taxpayers in the form of a permanent tax, just like the Fulton and DeKalb permanent 1% sales tax. DUHHH. Meanwhile, Fact Checker's buddies get a nice boost to the capital value of the developments, compliments of Cobb taxpayers that won't even be using the street car or the silly BRT that costs a fortune to operate.
Once again folks: TIA is NOT about transportation or congestion. It IS about politics and lining the pockets of Georgia fat-cats and their buddies with YOUR money. Don't buy into this scam.
Particularly as it relates to the transit portion of the Cobb County project list.
The intial expenditure of $859 MILLION is simply a precursor to a substantial and permanent tax on the citizens of Cobb County.
The real issue is the ongoing operation and maintenance cost of a transit system whether it be light rail or enhanced BRT.
On the other hand,
Fact Checker seems to be drinking the misinformation laced kool aid of the TIA proponents in Cobb County.
Smells distinctly of a Chamber of Commerce instigated response
(i.e. "Clearly, the facts indicate that this referendum is a critical part of Cobb County’s future when it comes to jobs and economic development".) meant to divert attention from the real issues.
Balderdash!!
Hopefully most Cobb County voters will see through the selective, one-sided propaganda campaign that will be waged between now and the TIA vote in July and vote against it.
My major concern is that a majority of the Metro Atlanta voters will buy into the half truths, gross exaggerations and outright lies that will inudate us about the supposed benefits of the TIA.
Unfortunately there is no organized effort afoot to effectively counter the well funded MAVEN type organizations that desperately want this taxpayer rip off to pass.
Can you say "Unfair and Unbalanced"?
Sadly our fate is in the hands of well informed voters around the Region and those voters are few and far between.