Comments on: Groups prefer Senate version of new transportation funding bill http://saportareport.com/blog/2009/02/groups-prefer-senate-version-of-new-transportation-funding/ Maria Saporta is a longtime Atlanta business, civic and urban affairs journalist with a deep knowledge of our city, our region and state. Thu, 09 Sep 2010 19:18:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Joeventures http://saportareport.com/blog/2009/02/groups-prefer-senate-version-of-new-transportation-funding/comment-page-1/#comment-15 Joeventures Fri, 27 Feb 2009 19:53:26 +0000 http://saportareport.com/blog/?p=239#comment-15 Whether inside or outside Atlanta, TSPLOST is more difficult to implement, but the end product is much better. What we don't want in Atlanta is yet another project from the State government where the costs far outweigh the benefits. The State has a history of pouring money down the drain like that. Besides, how would you like to see <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/joeventures/1413277594/" rel="nofollow">one of these</a> in your neighborhood? Whether inside or outside Atlanta, TSPLOST is more difficult to implement, but the end product is much better.

What we don’t want in Atlanta is yet another project from the State government where the costs far outweigh the benefits. The State has a history of pouring money down the drain like that.

Besides, how would you like to see one of these in your neighborhood?

]]> By: Brian Brodrick http://saportareport.com/blog/2009/02/groups-prefer-senate-version-of-new-transportation-funding/comment-page-1/#comment-14 Brian Brodrick Fri, 27 Feb 2009 19:43:28 +0000 http://saportareport.com/blog/?p=239#comment-14 Yeah, the MPOs are there, but most aren't nearly as effective or well funded as ARC, and are an outgrowth of the planning department of the large city in the area. I also don't think the TSPLOST bill mandates that regions group themselves by the MPOs -- in fact, it gives the regions a lot of flexibility, which is good and bad. And I don't think RDCs have the capacity to run the process, but could be wrong. I agree that TSPLOST is a better idea in theory, but outside of Atlanta, there is a real fear that it will be hard to implement and I think there is some truth to that. That's all I'm saying. Yeah, the MPOs are there, but most aren’t nearly as effective or well funded as ARC, and are an outgrowth of the planning department of the large city in the area.

I also don’t think the TSPLOST bill mandates that regions group themselves by the MPOs — in fact, it gives the regions a lot of flexibility, which is good and bad. And I don’t think RDCs have the capacity to run the process, but could be wrong.

I agree that TSPLOST is a better idea in theory, but outside of Atlanta, there is a real fear that it will be hard to implement and I think there is some truth to that. That’s all I’m saying.

]]> By: Sally Flocks http://saportareport.com/blog/2009/02/groups-prefer-senate-version-of-new-transportation-funding/comment-page-1/#comment-13 Sally Flocks Fri, 27 Feb 2009 18:53:55 +0000 http://saportareport.com/blog/?p=239#comment-13 In 1962, Congress passed legislation requiring all metropolitan areas with population greater than 50,000 to create MPO's. More than a dozen exist in Georgia. The state also has 16 Regional Development Centers. No part of the state is outside the boundaries of either an MPO or a RDC. In 1962, Congress passed legislation requiring all metropolitan areas with population greater than 50,000 to create MPO’s. More than a dozen exist in Georgia. The state also has 16 Regional Development Centers. No part of the state is outside the boundaries of either an MPO or a RDC.

]]> By: Joeventures http://saportareport.com/blog/2009/02/groups-prefer-senate-version-of-new-transportation-funding/comment-page-1/#comment-12 Joeventures Fri, 27 Feb 2009 18:49:12 +0000 http://saportareport.com/blog/?p=239#comment-12 Sam is wrong. Transit funding in the bill is limited to ten years, which means there is effectively <strong>NO funding for transit</strong>. In order to even qualify for federal funding (and therefore even hold any hope for getting built), transit funding must receive a minimum 20 years of funding. But to be competitive for federal funding, the commitment would have to last much longer. Just because the bill "allows" any spending for transit or pedestrian projects doesn't mean the bill "requires" spending for these project. This bill changes nothing for transit and further enriches the historically roads-only spending of the State. Sam is wrong. Transit funding in the bill is limited to ten years, which means there is effectively NO funding for transit.

In order to even qualify for federal funding (and therefore even hold any hope for getting built), transit funding must receive a minimum 20 years of funding. But to be competitive for federal funding, the commitment would have to last much longer.

Just because the bill “allows” any spending for transit or pedestrian projects doesn’t mean the bill “requires” spending for these project. This bill changes nothing for transit and further enriches the historically roads-only spending of the State.

]]> By: Brian Brodrick http://saportareport.com/blog/2009/02/groups-prefer-senate-version-of-new-transportation-funding/comment-page-1/#comment-11 Brian Brodrick Fri, 27 Feb 2009 18:34:22 +0000 http://saportareport.com/blog/?p=239#comment-11 Problem is, many areas in the rest of the state have no organizations like ARC to direct the funds. TSPLOST will work well for metro Atlanta, but be hard to implement for many other regions in the state without the sales tax revenue, resources or history of transportation planning. Agree with you Maria that all the turmoil makes the crystal ball rather foggy.... Problem is, many areas in the rest of the state have no organizations like ARC to direct the funds. TSPLOST will work well for metro Atlanta, but be hard to implement for many other regions in the state without the sales tax revenue, resources or history of transportation planning. Agree with you Maria that all the turmoil makes the crystal ball rather foggy….

]]> By: Mason Hicks http://saportareport.com/blog/2009/02/groups-prefer-senate-version-of-new-transportation-funding/comment-page-1/#comment-10 Mason Hicks Fri, 27 Feb 2009 18:10:31 +0000 http://saportareport.com/blog/?p=239#comment-10 The money for transit in the House Bill is a mirage. The statewide tax would last only ten years. With only ten years of funding, you can not build a dependable transit system. The federal government will not provide matching funds to any system with less than 20 years of operations funding. Minimum. A provision of the bill that allows operating money to be spread over 20 years is unlikely to be used under pressure from the road builders to spend now, spend now. The money for transit in the House Bill is a mirage. The statewide tax would last only ten years. With only ten years of funding, you can not build a dependable transit system. The federal government will not provide matching funds to any system with less than 20 years of operations funding. Minimum. A provision of the bill that allows operating money to be spread over 20 years is unlikely to be used under pressure from the road builders to spend now, spend now.

]]> By: Sally Flocks http://saportareport.com/blog/2009/02/groups-prefer-senate-version-of-new-transportation-funding/comment-page-1/#comment-9 Sally Flocks Fri, 27 Feb 2009 17:43:15 +0000 http://saportareport.com/blog/?p=239#comment-9 I could live with a statewide transportation sales tax if the bill provided that the money would be suballocated to metropolitan planning organizations and regional development centers so that they could program the funds. The IT3 report recommends improving the aligment between transportation investments and land use. MPO's -- including the Atlanta Regional Commission -- have a far better understanding of local and regional land uses than state legislators. This is just one of many reasons why state legislators are not the right people to choose transportation projects for the state. Sally Flocks President & CEO, PEDS I could live with a statewide transportation sales tax if the bill provided that the money would be suballocated to metropolitan planning organizations and regional development centers so that they could program the funds.

The IT3 report recommends improving the aligment between transportation investments and land use. MPO’s — including the Atlanta Regional Commission — have a far better understanding of local and regional land uses than state legislators. This is just one of many reasons why state legislators are not the right people to choose transportation projects for the state.

Sally Flocks
President & CEO, PEDS

]]> By: Maria Saporta http://saportareport.com/blog/2009/02/groups-prefer-senate-version-of-new-transportation-funding/comment-page-1/#comment-8 Maria Saporta Fri, 27 Feb 2009 16:40:06 +0000 http://saportareport.com/blog/?p=239#comment-8 Atlanta Regional Commission Chairman Sam Olens read this post about the two different transportation funding bills. Here is the response that he emailed to me and gave me permission to post on the blog: The House bill has approx $4B in transit. With the constant fighting between the North Fulton cities, Atlanta and Fulton County and the proposed Milton County legislation, I would be hard-pressed to say a regional (Senate) bill is likely to lead to a ballot initiative for the Region. If I were a transit advocate, I would re-think the bills asap. Atlanta Regional Commission Chairman Sam Olens read this post about the two different transportation funding bills. Here is the response that he emailed to me and gave me permission to post on the blog:

The House bill has approx $4B in transit. With the constant fighting between the North Fulton cities, Atlanta and Fulton County and the proposed Milton County legislation, I would be hard-pressed to say a regional (Senate) bill is likely to lead to a ballot initiative for the Region. If I were a transit advocate, I would re-think the bills asap.

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