The DISH

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Vol. 13 Issue 8…Dedicated to the Dialogue on Race…February 21, 2010

A Bit of History

The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA)

In recognition of the growth potential of the metropolitan Atlanta region, planners in the 1950s proposed creating a public transportation network that included a new rail system. A Metropolitan Atlanta Transit Study Commission report, published in the 1960s, recommended a 66-mile, five-county rail system with feeder bus operation and park-and-ride facilities. The recommendation covered the state's five largest counties, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett, and the City of Atlanta, which is situated in Fulton and DeKalb Counties. In 1965, the Georgia General Assembly acted on the recommendation, passing the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority Act.

Only four of the original five counties (Clayton, DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett) and the City of Atlanta subsequently passed a referendum authorizing participation in the public transportation system in 1965. Three years later, a referendum on a 1-cent sales tax to fund MARTA failed.

In 1971, Fulton and DeKalb Counties and the City of Atlanta successfully passed the 1-cent sales tax increase to pay for MARTA operations. Cobb County had already opted out of the public transportation system. Voters in Clayton and Gwinnett Counties overwhelmingly rejected the sales tax referendum, supposedly out of a "fear of the introduction of crime and undesirable elements," which would accompany the introduction of public transportation in their areas.

With the passage of the 1-cent sales tax in DeKalb and Fulton Counties and the City of Atlanta, MARTA purchased the Atlanta Transit System for $12.9 million and assumed control of the area's primary bus transportation system in February 1972. Bus fares were reduced in the Fulton and DeKalb Counties' service area. MARTA experienced an overall increase in the number of passengers for 1972.

Through the 1970s, MARTA received grants of more than $800 million from the federal government for planning, design, land acquisition and construction of a rapid rail system. On June 30, 1979, MARTA's first train, the East Line, began operating between Avondale and Georgia State Station, marking the beginning of MARTA's combined bus and rail service. The system has since built most of the original proposed rail lines, as well as stations in Sandy Springs and North Springs which were not included in its original plan.

As a public transportation system, MARTA is unique; it is by far the largest United States transit agency that receives no state operational funding. MARTA is funded primarily by the 1-cent sales tax levied in Fulton and DeKalb Counties and the City of Atlanta and passenger fares. While MARTA is a public authority operated by a board of directors appointed by the city of Atlanta and Fulton and DeKalb counties, there are additional seats appointed by Gwinnett and Clayton counties and the state of Georgia, all entities that play no role in funding MARTA operations.

On the perception that MARTA brings crime, according to Federal Transit Administration records, "MARTA's crime statistics are in line with those of similar-sized systems, such as the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) in San Francisco. Fed by the media, high-profile crimes on or near MARTA have created the impression with some that MARTA is unsafe." And, while suburban counties have opposed expanding MARTA for this reason, many of their residents use MARTA by driving directly to a MARTA station or by using a county or regional bus system that connects to MARTA. A license plate study from 1988 to 1997 showed 44 percent of the cars parked in MARTA park-and-ride lots were from outside of Fulton and DeKalb counties. With the rise in the price of a gallon of gasoline and the cost of parking, that percentage has no doubt increased.

Politics Y2K10

Georgia on the Bottom Again

By John Burl Smith

Among the larger states, Georgia is dubiously ranked at the bottom in education behind states half its size, which may explain the attitudes of its political leadership regarding rapid transit. Atlanta, Georgia was the first city in the South to build a rapid rail system (1971). Most depressingly, its transportation woes have worsened over the last 40 years, with a per capita ranking only ahead of Tennessee in spending on transportation. This reality placed Georgia behind the eight ball during the awarding of $8 billion in federal stimulus funds for the South.

Last June, Vice-President Joe Biden brought Southern governors to the White House to discuss allocating stimulus funds for high-speed rail projects. Much like what Pres. Eisenhower did with the interstate highway system in the late 1950s, the Obama administration views the $8 billion as a down payment on a nationwide rapid transit network. The Vice-President's gathering thrashed out which state transportation plans were moving in that direction.

Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson gave the region a leg up with the creation of MARTA (Metropolitan Area Rapid Transit Authority), but due to its parochial views on transportation and the dominance of African Americans in the Atlanta area, Georgia's white politicians fought rapid transit. They feared MARTA gave blacks too much mobility, which they saw as a threat to segregated communities around Atlanta. The state's history of slavery took precedence over progress -- everything in Georgia is viewed through the lens of race.

This brings us to why Georgia is on the bottom again. White political leaders in counties surrounding Atlanta made careers fighting MARTA, just as they did "busing." This framed the antagonistic relationship white politicians have toward MARTA, characterized by the constitutional amendment preventing the state from providing any operating funds to MARTA

Consequently, Gov. Sonny Purdue's application for $472 million to fund a passenger rail line from Atlanta to Macon was not seriously considered in awarding the $1.9 billion that went to the southeastern U.S. Purdue wanted the federal government to spend millions on a project it had not invested a dime. Purdue refused to apply for any federal funds to improve MARTA.

Georgia continues to shoot itself in the foot with plans like those proposed by GOP gubernatorial front runner John Oxendine, who wants to build roads from one end of Georgia to the other. Even Purdue's recent lackluster deal for a 2012 referendum is not designed with light rail or rapid transit in mind. Georgia's politicians are snugly wrapped in a forlorn hope from the "horse and buggy" days when there were cotton fields as for as the eyes could see filled with black slaves, who neither voted nor paid taxes. Those days are gone forever. Blacks only ride in the back of the bus in the Governor's mind. MARTA is the only rapid transit future Georgia has; and until white people get that through their heads, Georgia will continue building roads that lead to the backwash of progress.

Governor Passes the Buck on Transportation

By John Burl Smith

Georgia Governor Sonny Purdue continued passing the buck (2-1-10) on the state getting only $750,000 of the $8 billion transportation stimulus recently doled out by the Obama administration. Chiding U.S. Rep. John Lewis, Georgia's longest-serving member in Congress for not getting more of the $1.9 billion given to Southern states, Purdue pointed to the $1.25 billion given Florida and the $525 million North Carolina got for high-speed rail projects. Moreover, Purdue put his attack dog Bert Brantley in the ring against Lewis, "It's so funny to me that Congressman Lewis and Congressman Scott are blaming Republicans, when it's the Democrats that control the White House, the Congress and the agencies making these grants. Too bad they couldn't use their influence to help our case."

Clearly a shot meant to cover the Governor's backside as he walked away from advancing rapid transit or light rail in the state. His administration came to the table late with its $472 million proposal, which was neither well-conceived nor clearly thought out. Purdue now blames Democrats for not pulling a rabbit out of their hats to save a project Georgia refused to spend money on, when other states were already at the table with plates filled with projects underway.

Rep. Lewis politely pointed to history. "It's the fault of the leadership in this state we're so far behind. Transportation should be at the top of every elected official's agenda in Atlanta. I have brought hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding for Georgia's transportation problems, only to have millions left unused by the state…More recently, partly due to my influence and the power of the Democratic majority, the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) was a top recipient of stimulus dollars. GDOT alone received nearly $572 million in stimulus funding, without any Republican support from our delegation and in spite of Gov. Purdue criticizing the stimulus. Yet, the state only allocates $2 million in its upcoming budget to MARTA, a vital transportation resource $160 million in debt….

Georgia needs a comprehensive, regional transportation plan to solve our problems. That is not the responsibility of any federal authority, but it rests squarely on the shoulders of the governor. While Georgia dawdles, other states like Florida and North Carolina are seizing opportunities to use transportation as a means to draw big business, opportunity, and jobs to their states. Georgia is not in the running because it does not have a plan."

During his tenure as Governor, Purdue has made several trips to observe, first hand, the effectiveness of high speed rail systems in both Europe and Asia. Upon returning to Georgia, he spoke enthusiastically about high speed rail but support has been sadly lacking. Purdue talks a good game and to him support for rapid transit is just that -- a game of "got cha." Whites have never accepted MARTA as an asset simply because a black man thought of it and black people backed his idea by putting up the bucks to make it happen. The future will always belong to those willing to act on a good idea no matter who thinks of it, not "buck passers."

Hood Notes

Here He Comes Again

By John Burl Smith

Georgia's campaign for Governor began with a debate. One candidate in the Democratic field confirmed black voters' worst fears. For months, rumors circulated. While some well-known black Democrats talked up the idea, most hoped some strange turn of events would intervene. Yet, there he was sounding like a restyled slick talking con artist with a Wall Street make-over. Like the proverbial "bad penny," all that could be said was, "Here he comes again!"

Former Gov. Roy Barnes had crawled out of his hole like "Punxsutawney Phil" hoping his shadow would not appear. After losing his reelection bid to Republican Sonny Purdue in 2002, which also resulted in Republicans gaining control of the Georgia legislature, Barnes limped off counting the nickels collected from his many shady deals.

Barnes single-handedly did in one term what Republicans had not been able to do in a hundred years - make Georgia a two party state dominated by the GOP. White commentators credit Barnes' defeat to angry teachers (his move to end tenure for newly hired teachers, his centralized approach to education and his emphasis on testing, which amounted to "teaching the test") and his decision to change the Georgia flag.

However, pundits overlook the disaffection of black voters, who were responsible for electing a conservative like Barnes in the first place. Most forget that Barnes was a Republican that switched parties because the Democrats had a lock on the state. A slick talker, Barnes, unlike most white Democrats in Georgia, paid lip service to black issues which gave him the victory over the Republican. Once in office, his sheet came off with a redistricting plan that created multi-member districts, which gave white voters majorities in areas that blacks had dominated. This scheme was overturned by the court because it violated the Voting Rights Act by reducing black representation.

Barnes built a political career fighting MARTA (Metropolitan Area Rapid Transit Authority) expansion into Cobb County. He hatched an egregious scheme called the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority (GRTA) that robbed blacks in DeKalb and Fulton Counties by taking control of MARTA's dedicated tax revenue stream to float bonds to finance building bus systems to serve counties that refuse to pay the one cent MARTA sales tax. This stealth move was pitched as a way to make MARTA a regional rapid transit hub. However, the scheme gave the state, which has never given MARTA a dime in operating funds, control of the one cent sales tax paid in DeKalb and Fulton Counties. GRTA gave the state access to MARTA funds, the ability to issue bonds using the only dedicated source of tax revenue and control of all future federal rapid transit funds for Georgia.

With money borrowed on MARTA, Barnes, through GRTA, gave bus service to Clayton and Gwinnett Counties, which refused to pay the MARTA one cent sales tax. Even more egregious, Barnes refused to extend the one cent sales tax beyond DeKalb and Fulton Counties. State Attorney General Thurbert Baker refused to investigate the constitutionality of the state taking over a locally owned transit system and not compensating the stakeholders in DeKalb and Fulton or giving them a vote on the issue. Now here he comes again with a "knife hidden in his tunic," ready to stab us in the back again! "Friend, wherefore art thou come."

Kudos! Kudos!

Rep. Levitas Wants Smaller MARTA Board

State Rep. Kevin Levitas, D-Atlanta, plans to introduce legislation to reduce the size of MARTA's board from eighteen (18) to seven (7) members. According to Levitas, "A smaller board of directors could make the transit agency more efficient and place it in line with other people-moving agencies across the country." MARTA operates 4 subway lines (heavy rail), 138 bus routes and paratransit services in and around metropolitan Atlanta (DeKalb and Fulton Counties).

"Chicago's Transit Authority has a 7- member Board of Directors, San Francisco's BART Board has 9 members, and Washington, D.C.'s METRO Board has only six voting members along with six alternate directors. Why does MARTA need a Board of Directors two-and-a-half times the size of the San Francisco Authority?" It doesn't! MARTA's board has grown over the years to suit political caprice. The last expansion came when former Gov. Roy Barnes added 3 seats with the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority in 2001. The current Board consists of 5 for Atlanta, Fulton (3), DeKalb (5), Clayton (1) and Gwinnett (1). Additionally, the Georgia Departments of Revenue (1), Georgia Department of Transportation (1), GRTA (1) and the State Properties Commission and Georgia Building Authority all have votes.

Levitas proposes eliminating Clayton and Gwinnett Counties' seats and reducing the City of Atlanta, Fulton and DeKalb Counties by two each and the state of Georgia to one. This would recognize that MARTA's principal source of revenue comes from a dedicated sales tax levied only within DeKalb and Fulton Counties (Atlanta). As currently constituted, "the Board is an example of 'representation without taxation,' which means that the State of Georgia, along with Clayton and Gwinnett counties have a voice in MARTA's governance, without contributing any funding." Rep. Levitas wants to end this practice by eliminating the seats for non-paying counties and reducing the state's seats to one, since it does not give MARTA any funds.

Compared to others, MARTA's Board is the only one on which entities that do not contribute financially have a voting seat on its governing body. In fact, some Massachusetts cities and towns contribute over 10% of the MBTA's annual operating budget, but have no representation on its Board. Levitas says, "The MARTA Board should represent its 'true stakeholders' -- those, who pay the one-cent sales tax that helps keep the buses and trains running."

Levitas also suggested that the General Assembly should consider folding MARTA into GDOT. Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed said such discussions would be useful -- provided the state put up a bunch of cash to compensate Atlanta, Fulton and DeKalb County residents who for decades have paid to build and operate the system. (Note: Reed voted for the bill creating GRTA and extending the MARTA sales tax on DeKalb and Fulton residents to 2047.)

These politicians should read the legislation that created GRTA. The state has already passed legislation that took control of MARTA. That was the justification for creating GRTA, which was supposed to convert MARTA into a regional transit system. Instead, the state has simply raided MARTA's dedicated tax base and other funds. Rep. Levitas' board reduction legislation is a good idea and something that is needed. But, he needs to go one step further and revisit what was done to MARTA under the GRTA legislation. He and the Mayor needs to investigate how the people in DeKalb and Fulton (Atlanta) have been getting robbed by GRTA thanks to Roy Barnes, who was nicknamed King Roy during his single term. Kudos to Levitas for proposing a smaller board to represent the interest of those who pay for MARTA!

News You Use

Proposed MARTA Reduced Service

MARTA is proposing to eliminate 10 of the 23 bus routes serving Decatur, Lithonia and Stone Mountain. The transit system is facing a $120 million deficit for its 2011 fiscal year, which begins July 1. To satisfy its projected revenue shortfall, MARTA must reduce its size by 25 to 30 percent, according to Harold Buckley, who represents south DeKalb County on the MARTA board.

These are tough economic times; people are spending less. Fifty-two (52) percent of MARTA's revenues come from the 1-cent sales tax levied in Fulton and DeKalb Counties. The forecast for sales tax revenues has been revised downward twice already, and consumer sentiment suggests there will not be a significant improvement in sales in the near future.

To balance its budget, MARTA is considering transit service cuts and employee layoffs, and the proposed service cuts in South DeKalb are extensive; they include the elimination of bus routes 7, 9, 18, 22, 24, 28, 96, 118, 119 and 216. Service to some neighborhoods along these routes will cease, while the remaining 13 routes will be modified to serve some segments of those neighborhoods losing service

On weekdays, MARTA's 23 routes serving south DeKalb County carry 45,141 passengers. On weekends, it transports 45,931. According to MARTA spokesman Lyle Harris, eliminating the 10 South DeKalb routes will save MARTA $7.1 million. Last year, MARTA used $45 million of the $100 million in federal stimulus funds it received to balance its budget.

MARTA is gathering public comments about the proposed changes through the end of March. Its service plan for the 2011 capital and operating budget has to be finalized by April 19.

MARTA hosted two community meetings on Feb. 20. On March 1, MARTA officials will host a third meeting at the DeKalb County Maloof Auditorium, 1300 Commerce Drive in downtown Decatur, from 6- to-8 p.m. It is important that MARTA bus riders and civic and community groups attend these meetings and offer their input. If you use MARTA, let your voice be heard.

For more information, visit www.itsmarta.com or call MARTA at 404-848-5026. (Sources: www.crossroadsnews.com and www.ajc.com)

Disgruntled feels: Racism! As a conscious person and an economist, I use public transportation. I complain when the bus is late or the train fails to arrive; and I am highly critical of the fact that there is no heavy rail service in South DeKalb County, where I reside. Yet, I still rely on MARTA. It beats hands down paying for gasoline and downtown Atlanta parking. I am convinced that MARTA's critics, those that reside outside of DeKalb and Fulton Counties, are jealous of our public transportation system. During the initial startup efforts, those living in Clayton, Cobb and Gwinnett allowed racism to color their choice of whether or not to become a part of progress. Former MARTA Chairman David Chesnut (1987) said it best. "The development of a regional transit system in the Atlanta area is being held hostage to race, and I think it's high time we admitted it and talked about it." Racism is still holding the South's sole rapid transit system hostage.

Disgruntled says: Clayton and Gwinnett Counties enjoy representation on the MARTA board. Voters in these counties refused to approve the referendum to support MARTA with a 1-cent sales tax; now they enjoy representation at the table to determine how its tax revenues are spent and which capital projects get approved. This amounts to representation without taxation. Those who pay the 1-cent MARTA sales tax experience a boatload of just the opposite.

Disgruntled wants to know: There are a few former and current local elected officials vying for higher office and/or a former position. Two have thrown their hats in the race for Congress and another wants to be governor. All of these individuals voted to give us GRTA and voted to extend the MARTA 1-cent sales tax until 2047 without a referendum. Why should we reward individuals with higher elective office that have failed to serve our best interest?

Mailbox: E-Mails, Faxes and Telephone Calls

Email www.wsbtv.com/news ...Georgia Waits While Others Spend Stimulus $$$...Georgia has made some blunders with stimulus money according to a report of the worst 100 projects. Senators John McCain, R-Arizona and Tom Coburn, R-Oklahoma authored it. In one project, the Georgia Department of Transportation used stimulus funds to repave a part of Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard, even though sections of the road were just paved in 2007. Another project involves the Fulton County Housing and Urban Development office. The report says it’s getting nearly $12 million this year even though it mismanaged millions in federal grants last year. HUD officials claim this year's money is not part of the stimulus program. Other problems are called more egregious outside Atlanta, like a private entertainment company using nearly $1million to upgrade security on dinner cruises. Wake County, North Carolina plans to use $4.4 million to hire tutors for its teachers. Texas is spending nearly $14 million to upgrade highway rest stops with Internet access. In Washington State, a fish sculpture at a busy intersection cost you $122,000.

Email www.ajc.com ...MARTA may charge by the mile or time of day...By Jim Galloway...In less than two years, MARTA could move to a system that charges riders according to the distance traveled - or the time of day. MARTA chief Beverly Scott told state lawmakers this afternoon that the transit agency is considering a shift away from the flat-fare charge system - which allows a rider traveling a train from Dunwoody to Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport to pay the same as a rider traveling one or two stops. Scott said a recommendation will be made to the MARTA governing board by the end of April. If approved, the new pricing system could be in place by 2012. The variable rate system could be applied to bus and rail systems, or simply the rail system, Scott said. For some short-distance riders, the new system could result in a fare decrease, she told a meeting of House members representing DeKalb and Fulton counties.

Email www.ajc.com ...Clayton County's business, education and religious community told legislators Wednesday that the coming loss of the C-Tran bus system would hurt countless residents and institutions. Clayton commissioners last year voted 4-1 to shut down the county's transit service by March 31. County leaders who voted for the shutdown said that in difficult financial times, funding transit wasn't their job. C-Tran's buses are already full to bursting, MARTA CEO Beverly Scott has said. MARTA operates C-Tran under contract to the county. More than 90 local governments in Georgia provide public transit, even if it's just a few bus runs, according to a list on the state Department of Transportation's Web site. Clayton would become the only of metro Atlanta's five core counties not providing public transit. Fulton and DeKalb counties pay a 1 percent sales tax toward MARTA. Gwinnett County expects to pay $924,000 into its system's operations this year. Capital expenses will be covered by federal stimulus money this year, said Gwinnett County Transit Director Phil Boyd. Cobb is also getting stimulus funds but expects to put about $2 million in county money toward its $19 million transit budget, according to Rebecca Gutowsky, director of the system. In spite of proposed fare increases, the C-Tran budget would have been short $1.3 million, according to MARTA. Clayton Commissioner Wole Ralph has said the matter is now in the hands of the state Legislature. There are measures the state can take, but they would require legislation. Some would also require a local referendum. Those factors make it difficult for the state to step in by March 31.