Video: Mike Alexander, ARC, Tells the Truth about T-SPLOST Taxes Going to MARTA Operations and Maintenance

HB277 Transportation Investment Act states, starting on line 419, that MARTA “shall not be authorized to use any proceeds from the special district transportation sales and use tax for expenses of maintenance and operation of such portions of the transportation system of such authority in existence on January1, 2011.”

Starting at minute 15:14, “Growing unfunded [MARTA] maintenance liability addressed by T-SPLOST.”

Minutes 45:12 – 48:34, “The MARTA thing is a critical conversation to have. We don’t want to shy away from it. There is maintenance money in it for MARTA.” Mike Alexander, ARC. State Representative Sean Jerguson calls out several items on project list which are designated as maintenance and operations of MARTA in direct violation of the law.

Other noteworthy minutes, the facts about transit / rail in other transit friendly cities:
Starting at minute 37:05, “The thing with rail, rail is too big to fail. Once you install it, you are paying for it into perpetuity and you’ll never get out from under it. Let’s take some lessons from across the country. Portland Oregon is the most transit friendly city in the United States of America. They’ve never gotten over 12 – 15% ridership. That’s the most transit friendly city in the United States of America.”