What should be done in Clayton?
As if traffic congestion in metro Atlanta isn’t bad enough, Clayton has now decided to end bus service in March.
That’s only going to make our commutes — already among the most time-consuming in the nation — even worse.
What do you think should be done? Fare increase? County sales tax increase? Regional transit tax? Revote? Nothing?
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118 comments Add your comment
No surprise
October 13th, 2009
8:51 pm
When the State Of Georgia decides to get off its rear, and take charge of rapid transportation in the state, instead of leaving it to the counties, things will improve. Service to run down areas, and apartments alone, will never survive. It must be designed for the good of all residents, not just the low income areas. Why should I pay for your bus ride, unless you are handicapped, or elderly?
Derek
October 13th, 2009
9:36 pm
About time, Now maybe the crime and those who can’t afford to live in south Clayton will move back to North Clayton. The only places there are enough riders is Riverdale and College Park. A money pit in for the most part with not enough income from those who ride to justify it, kinda like Obamas health plan….
ugaaccountant
October 13th, 2009
9:44 pm
Do nothing. This is a good thing to kill a money pit of a government program that never should have been a government program.
Michele
October 13th, 2009
10:12 pm
First ridership should be taken into consideration not money, there are mass transportation funding available if Clayton County Commissioners, had reach out and searched for the funding to maintain and increase transportation service for the taxpayers of the county. If is totally unjust to eliminate C-Tran without a full investigation to seek funding to support its operation. Where is the environmental protection consideration, there is a need to decrease pollution, we need public transportation to lower traffic conjestion, and to help us all,and lower our energy usuage. On November 3th Election Day its time for change.
OldSchoolAl
October 13th, 2009
10:30 pm
It is a shame that another public service disgraces this county. As a south county homeowner, we have had to endure the school crisis, the mortgage crisis, and now this. We can’t sell our homes for enough to cover mortgages and now it is going to be even harder to rent. I don’t feel the county should have to bear the expense, but public transportation is not something that should ever be cut.
I feel the routes should have been expanded to be more inclusive. The closest stop to me is nearly two miles, and there are at least 12 – 15 subdivisions w/nearly 1000 homes unserved near me. These are all homeowners, many of whom work in downtown Atl that would be happy to use C-Tran if it were convenient.
As the song said "Fiii-yah"
October 13th, 2009
11:01 pm
What should be done in Clayton? Of all the metro counties, I say Sherman needs to come back through here and burn it down. Clayton County sux. At present I don’t know anything or anyone worthwhile who lives in Clayton county. I know grown men who live in unhealthy rooms in their mother’s basement in Clayton County. I couldn’t believe his filth in his room. Never saw the walking biohazard again. He got mad because I told him I was about to call the Board of Health on his swine butt.
atlin83
October 13th, 2009
11:40 pm
Let’s get this straight, before people misunderstand it. This is not “C-Tran” letting you down. This is not some ambiguous transit agency that’s unable to cut your costs. This is the Clayton County Commission – if you’re in Clayton, the people YOU voted to represent you – deciding that C-Tran isn’t important enough. There should be nothing unclear about this – the decision was made by a set, clearly defined group of people who are directly accountable for their actions. If you disagree, voice it, and fight to preserve public transportation in Clayton County. As if the county didn’t already have enough problems – let’s add increased unemployment and further social disparities to the mix.
2010 Election
October 14th, 2009
12:25 am
The “Plutocrats” has convinced “Your” black elected officials to “Nix” the mass transit system thus moving your county back to 1990s. Now that “Progress” or is it “Regress”? You elected officials work for the “ white Few” not the “black Many”! Better luck in the 2010 elections!
Save Us Obama!
October 14th, 2009
1:32 am
Clayton has now become a cesspool of subhuman, degenerate ghetto trash that should be eradicated from our planet.
Winfield J. Abbe
October 14th, 2009
3:53 am
Bravo to the Clayton County Commissioners. This is exactly what must be done in Athens Clarke County. There, buses dangerously run around on narrow roads, unsafely blocking traffic lanes when they stop without turnouts, polluting the air with diesel exhaust and mostly without any passengers save for the lone driver whose job is the main reason for keeping this public boonedoggle going. The local newspaper the Athens Banner Herald won’t even publish a picture of the mostly empty buses, and they also won’t mention the true costs not properly disclosed on the government website either. The property taxpayers must now pay roughly $ 4 million a year to subsidize this moneywaste rapidly approaching the $10 million in Clayton County. What is worse, many property taxpayers forced to pay for the transportation costs of a handful of others who pay virtually nothing, do not receive any service at all in violation of the equal protection clause of the Georgia Constitution. This is government corruption and fraud at its worst. The Robin Hood Communist government of Athens Clarke County should follow the lead of Clayton County and shut down this unfair, illegal, polluting and wasteful transportation system to provide free transportation for the nave nots paid by the forced taxation of the haves in true Robin Hood fashion.. Build more sidewalks instead and encourage healthful walking for a change.
Barbaram
October 14th, 2009
5:41 am
I’m happy about it sorry. I bought a home here 14 years ago and it wasn’t like this. We have a lot of more renters in the neighborhood and they don’t care how they keep the rented home clean. I hope it stays out they closed down the projects and you can tell who came from them, before you say something I grow up in Adamsville Area in Atlanta because I grew up there doesn’t mean that I carry myself like that. If you come the hood doesn’t mean you should act like the hood. I see to many if our young people hanging around in the streets especially our young ladies, and parents don’t believe everything that comes out of your child mouth about they are being so innocent kids do lie. Get up up sometimes and check your child friends out and also see have they been to school, a lot of kids are walking the streets during school hours. WAKE UP, WAKE UP AND STOP GETTING MAD AT SOMEONE WHO TRY’S TO DISCIPLE YOUR CHILD BY TELLING THEM TO ACT RIGHT.
sleestak
October 14th, 2009
6:15 am
Great news! Now I hope some of the scum that moved into clayton when we got Bus service will move back out!
EVIL REPUBLICANS TIME IS UP
October 14th, 2009
6:47 am
I CANT EVEN DEFEND YOU GUYS AND GALS DOWN IN CLAYCO! THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE RIDING THE BUS IN CLAYTON COUNTY ACCORDING TO THE WHITES ARE NOT PRODUCTIVE PEOPLE,ITS A SHAME THAT BLACK PEOPLE ON THE CLAYTON COUNTY BOARD SAID SHUT MOST OF THE SERVICES DOWN BECAUSE HARTSFIELD-JACKSON DONT WANT ALL THOSE BLACK PEOPLE HANGING OUT IN FRONT OF THE AIRPORT,BLACK PEOPLE PLEASE GET IT TOGETHER,BECAUSE ACCORDING TO SOME OF THESE BLOGS,THESE REDNECK RACISTS WHITES WANT TO GET RID OF YALL LIKE THEY DID THE INDIANS,BE AWARE BLACK FOLKS BE AWARE,LOOK AT THE ARAB BEING BOMBED ON SO DONT EVER THINK THESE REDNECKS WONT TRY SOMETHING!
Chuck
October 14th, 2009
6:49 am
Let’s see…the program costs about $10 million per year, but only collects about $2.5 million in revenue. No doubt that’s a better ROI than the stimulus package. I’m with Michele. Social justice demands that this program continue.
inspiron
October 14th, 2009
7:15 am
I think it so sad that we cant have public transporation. The people who voted yes they have cars. Not all people need public transportation but some do. i think we need to protest.
anthony thompson
October 14th, 2009
7:16 am
some of you people seem to be totally ignorant. when i moved here from fla . i didn’t think people were still this racist. you blame everything on the havenots and you complain about taxes if they help some one who you have decided doesn’t deserve it. clayton county is in a metro area and having mass transit is vital to its survival. are you people going to be hicks forever? here is news for you criminals don’t ride the bus to commit crimes. you can’t believe someone would burglarize you home and wait for the bus to come with his stolen loot. that is stupid. why can’t you people imbrace diversity and just live in harmony. one thing you are right about though is clayton county needs better leadership . please stop considering south clayton and north clayton two different places, its just one clayton. if you don’t work together you will just become another big embarrasment for the world to see and justify what they already believe about ga , a bunch of stupid ignorant hicks. oh yeah, raise the fair and add the penny tax and maybe expand your service to more people but don,t stop mass transit. if you do, when all those people leave clayton county will be doomed. you will have empty apt complexs that will probally go into forclosure which would result in lost taxes, many buisnesses will lose a lot of customers which would result in buisness closures which means more lost taxes. come on clayton let’s think progress not regress. quit making me ashamed of where i live, and that includes the whole state of ga. you claim to be christians but what happened to being my brothers keeper and watching out for the poor. one more thing i have to say , if we need more money in ga bring casinos and maybe even horse racing and those who oppose don’t have to come. please ga change before you run all of the people away. it is 2009 not1909.
Big Papi
October 14th, 2009
7:23 am
C-Tran was started with federal seed money. Now these funds have dried up and the system is not sustainable> The county should have said NO to C-Tran from the beginning> We will not, can not pay more taxes to transport the saggy pants and baby mama crowd. You can try to dress it up any way you want, but anyone who has lived in the county any length of time knows that C-Tran has been a NEGATIVE.
Jeremy
October 14th, 2009
7:27 am
MICHELE, EVIL, 2010,CHUCK etc; I have a novel Idea. THERE WAS A SURVEY DONE! if you had cared to attend the meeting. Below the College Park, Riverdale area, riderships is pathetic! You talk about pollution! When 3 Buses Idle for hours on Mt. Zion and 1 person rides! please, when the Bus stops have no turnouts and block traffic waiting on maybe 2 people to ride! And when “productive” (white and black) citizens supplement everything from Rec Centers that others use as baby – sitting service, to failing schools because the administrations that moved here after 96′, to school boards and County Commissions that are elected because of race instead of merit, and turn out to be crooks and unable to manage, MAYBE you should look in the mirror! The County HAD a successful school system, public works, law enforcement before. Then because of race we elect Sheriffs. School Board, and Comissioners who fail, fail and fail and drive this county lower and lower. Fulton and Dekalb were estatic that their problems migrated, renters, crime and non-productive people to burden the county. So to wrap it up HOW BOUT YOU paying out of your pocket for transportation just for N. Clayton and keep your hands out of ours! Before you chase those who are ABLE to pay leave the county and it spirals further into decay.
say what?
October 14th, 2009
7:43 am
Public transportation is a STATE issue. For those claiming that Clayton cannot survive economically without public buses, how are the counties of Fayette, Coweta, and Henry getting more businesses than Clayton County. That is a work ready, job skill trained population.
I live in East Clayton, and asked that my commissioner vote “no”, as this is a quality of life issue- do we want to forever be a county begging for fedral funds and more taxes such as Fulton and DeKalb counties, or do we aspire to model Fayette or Coweta counties? Gwinnett has success only because of its STRONG political connections to every transportation contract in the metro area.
I have attended commission meetings and there is a problem with spending in Clayton County. If anyone comes up and ask for additional funds for a party for the community at $3k- its approved; someone needs $2k for some new signs-its approved; need more rec center equipment after the budget has been set- it’s approved.
Eldrin Bell cannot say no to anyone coming looking for a handout, and the others cannot stand up to his “I am the only one looking out for the poor” mentality. He should go back to Atlanta-that’s where the mentality started.
Van pools work well on Hwy 42 and hwy 138 for those going into downtown, the park and ride at 138 and I-75 is always full, and before we had C-Tran working folk rode to a marta station, parked, and rode into town.
anthony thompson
October 14th, 2009
7:48 am
well jeremy, if there are more blacks than whites in a county who do you think is going to be elected? it was the same way when there were more whites than blacks. by the way most of you whites are commenting why would a black person vote for you. as for rec centers you have the same right as everyone else to use them, so use them and quit complaining about paying for something you don’t use because it is your choice. that just the way it is , i quite sure some rich people pay more taxes than you do and don’t recieve anymore sevice than you so quit trying to make everything a tax issue when it is really a race issue
As the song said "Fiii-yah"
October 14th, 2009
7:58 am
I live in a trailer in Fayetteville with maw and our 100 cats. Thanks for not bringing C-Tran to my area.
Lexus
October 14th, 2009
8:00 am
I’m totally for it…the reason I decided to move into Clayton County was because no public transportation and the Police Dept…well 1st the C-Tran started and it truly became unbearable crime went up, people not using cross walks, traffic, etc… then police dept changed…so hopefully we (Clayton Co) is back on track a new police chief and no C-Tran…maybe we can get back like we were in the late 90’s early 2000’s…don’t get me wrong I do like and accept change; however; not that type that I’ve been witnessing in the past years. I feel if you like that far away for the city then you need to have your own transportation…My opinion only:) GO CLAYTON COUNTY
Resident
October 14th, 2009
8:12 am
THANK GOD!! NO MORE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION!! LETS take Clayton County back and Get these crazy folks off the streets>>
Resident
October 14th, 2009
8:15 am
I am soooooooooooooooooooooo happy!! Thnx u.
BeScared
October 14th, 2009
8:19 am
I agree with: Save Us Obama!
October 14th, 2009
1:32 am
“Clayton has now become a cesspool of subhuman, degenerate ghetto trash that should be eradicated from our planet.”
They all should be sent back to the projects they came from in Atlanta. I have lived in College Park for 23 years and when they closed all of the projects in Atlanta we got the worst of the worst.
“When Atlanta flushed its toilet all of its s_ _ t ran into College Park.
BeScared
October 14th, 2009
8:26 am
Black people can blame everyone but themselves. They are the reason why whites do not want them in their neighborhoods. I do not blame them. In my neighborhood they have destroyed it with drugs, hanging out at the bus stop, raping, robbing and being very disrespectful. When blacks learn to live among others with respect and dignity then they will be accepted.
SKreet
October 14th, 2009
8:30 am
Claytron county is crunk and will stay crunk and broke down with or without a bus system. This is a prime example of what happens when suburban developers are in control and ruin a county. Next stop, Henry!
WERKIN FOR A LIVIN
October 14th, 2009
8:40 am
reap what you sew clay co
anthony thompson
October 14th, 2009
8:43 am
be scared ,so you are saying every black is a criminal. would it be ok if whites destroyed you neighborhood,. you do know that mostly white people smoke meth and a lot of whites buy drugs from those blacks.go to the prison there are white people in there too. i know some blacks are scum but so are some whites. if there weren’t so much racial hatred around i don’t beleive there would be as much crime.respect has to be earned and it goes both ways. get to know some blacks and you will discover that most of them are good law abiding people who want the same things as you do. if you grew in the enviroment as some blacks grew up in you wouldn,t be the person you are now, i promise
cracker
October 14th, 2009
8:44 am
anthony thompson is a closet uncle tom
Joyce
October 14th, 2009
8:54 am
Go figure the idiots in office in Clayton County voted to get rid of a service obviously needed in this county. I’ll be so glad to be moved next month. This place is worse than Atlanta.
TechMom
October 14th, 2009
8:58 am
If you want buses, then you should be willing to pay what it actually costs for a ride instead of making everyone pay for it. if you don’t want to buy a car or can’t, then fork over what it actually costs for a ride instead of making someone else pay for you. If the county is only collecting 25% of what it costs to run the system, then for once they’re being fiscally responsible and getting rid of a system that doesn’t benefit enough people but taxes all.
WOW
October 14th, 2009
9:03 am
“if there weren’t so much racial hatred around i don’t beleive there would be as much crime” I can’t believe that statement came from someone. So since someone has ignorantly decided not to like me for some reason that means I should rob them or steal their car or break in their house or drive down the street and shoot at them? LOL hilarious. and “respect has to be earned and it goes both ways.” AGAIN UNBELIEVABLE! so in order to earn respect from someone it is necessary to rob them or steal their car or break in their house or drive down the street and shoot at them? Please reevaluate the situation.
Lady
October 14th, 2009
9:16 am
When I moved here from a city that had public transportation. I did not want to be on the busline back in 95, ever since the buses came the County has wen’t down. I am glad they are leaving maybe we can get our County back together. When people moved here then they knew they had to have a vehicle. Maybe some of those project people will go back to Atlanta, or Dekalb!
Jesse
October 14th, 2009
9:16 am
It’s simple – these unmarried black mothers do not care for their children they way the should – they simply do not care and the fathers are nowhere to be found, except the jail…
al
October 14th, 2009
9:20 am
I’m so glad it is leaving CC. No public transportation in CC, good!
Taxpayer Citizen,
dw
October 14th, 2009
9:27 am
I’ve seen less than 5 white people ride the bus in Clayton County, so it doesn’t come as a surprise that they voted to cut the service. We can pretend all we want that racism does not exist and that we’re living in a “post-racial” era. But look around you, it’s not gone!The Clayton Co. commisioners voted 4-1 to make thousands of Blacks unemployed or struggle to get to work everyday. RACIST, RACIST, RACIST!Sales taxes, property taxes, revenue for businesses, foreclosures, evictions and even the environment will be affected by this.There are people who rely 100% on those buses to get to and from work. What were they thinking? Clayton Co=EPIC FAIL!
one of them hicks everyone's talking about
October 14th, 2009
9:28 am
Why is it that when an elected official does something for the better good of the county it immediately becomes racially motivated? The bus system was costing the county money. The better thing to do is to cut it. That may not be the popular thing, but the right thing. How about instead of rallying to support a broken system, remake it. I would be for a system for registered sick and elderly. Have a public registry that the sick and elderly can voluntarily sign up on, either online or over the phone. They can be charged the same fare as a bus ride that they would be paying anyway to generate funds. Schedule routes for those people and use smaller vehicles such as passenger vans, etc., to make runs. Bus service never even reached my neighborhood, so why should I have to pay for someone in Riverdale or College Park to ride the bus? As for those working people, you don’t pay for my ride, why should I pay for yours? For those going to Atlanta, there are several park and rides located throughout the county, and more being built.
Tracy
October 14th, 2009
9:31 am
THANK YOU, THANK YOU i am soooooo glad first i want to say I am black and I see the negative change having the bus in Clayton County has brought on.I moved to Clayton County 12 years ago because no bus service.My husband and I figured no bus service would keep the thugs away and our neighborhood clean.When the service first came to Clayton my husband comment was “Watch the county start to change for the bad because now people from the city would have transportation” he was so true.When you move to an area without bus service you know you need to have a car so you think twice before moving there.When we moved to Clayton we knew there was no bus service and we was fine with that.Why should I pay for someone to ride the bus with my tax money and then turn around and pay for my car and gas I say no way.I have always worked in the city of Atlanta and I prefer to drive my car than to get on the bus.I have not rode the bus ever.So saying that it benefits everyone is not true.I work in the city and live in Clayton I prefer to drive I knew when I purchased my home there was no public transportation that is what attracted me to the area.Now I may not have to sell my home to move further out away from the transportation system.Thanks Commisioners for cutting the bus service
Pierce Randall
October 14th, 2009
9:35 am
Actually, Clayton County bus service is far from unproductive. Buses frequently ran crush-loads (for a bus, almost twice as many people on the bus as seats). Public transportation never pays for itslf system-wide, nor do roads. People cheering this loss to that county, from the looks of comments above, are misinformed about bus ridership, or admittedly racists or class elitists. I don’t know what to say to them; I feel society should be open to everyone, whereas they lament the prescence of renters and bus riders in their county, because it may lower their mortgage.
Hurting others to help yourself is a pretty basic understanding of evil. Helping others at some personal risk or expense is the corollary, good. So if you’re cheering this loss to thousands of people who live from Forest Park to Jonesboro, take a look in the mirror.
Peggy Sue Davis
October 14th, 2009
9:36 am
HOORAY! GOODBYE CTRAN!!!!
Duluth, GA
October 14th, 2009
9:36 am
I cannot believe that many of the officials did not even show up for the meeting last week to hear the residents side of the issue. This just goes to show that people are selfish and only care about themselves. We need to get rid of all elected officials and start fresh. This has got to stop now! How will many people get to work now in Clayton County?
Reality
October 14th, 2009
9:41 am
Whites, I ask you is 45-50 years enough to gain parity?
Andy in Blairsville
October 14th, 2009
9:43 am
WOW! This could very well be the first step in that county returning to a productive blue collar county once again. The county is full of inexpensive well built homes out of the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s on decent sized wooded lots and its very commutable to ATL.
Clayton might actually be a nice first time homeowner county 5-10 years from now.
That said, I’m glad I moved out of there in the 90’s.
Tracy
October 14th, 2009
9:43 am
It is not racist to cut the service.For the citizens ( black or white ) who have seen the negative difference the bus has made and who actually pay taxes it is not racist at all.To DW if you acually paid taxes you wouldn’t want your taxes to go up I pay 2,400.plus yearly with my mortgage for sevices that others get to enjoy.I work another school system outside Clayton so my children attend that school system schools not Clayton.I prefer to drive to work instead of catching the bus.When I moved here I knew there was no bus and was fine with that.I think this is by far the BEST DECISION the board has ever made
Turd Ferguson
October 14th, 2009
9:44 am
Enter your comments here
sd
October 14th, 2009
9:46 am
We need a governor who doesn’t treat the metro area like a red headed step child. We need state funding for a metro transit system like in most major cities. We need the rural areas of the state to realize that their government services depend on metro area tax dollars. The state should spend money to build a REAL transit system that can rival other major cities.
Turd Ferguson
October 14th, 2009
9:49 am
HA HA HA. Public transportation mainly carts around degenerate pieces of human excrement that only exist to con someone out of the next “freebie.” This has been a long time coming and Clayton County should have never instated this bus system for all the ghetto baby mama’s and their lil turds.
HA HA HA…Gotta love it!
Andy in Blairsville
October 14th, 2009
9:49 am
I heard MARTA will be offering free one way service to Dekalb County for the return ride back ‘home’.
Turd Ferguson
October 14th, 2009
9:50 am
sd
October 14th, 2009
9:46 am
NO…you are wrong. You want public transpo the go to Chicago, NY or some other ghetto to live.