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Lawmaker to MARTA board members: A vote for a $400k lobbyist could cost you your job

10:31 am October 12, 2009, by jgalloway

State Rep. Jill Chambers of Atlanta, the Republican chairman of the Legislature’s oversight committee for MARTA, issued a threat to MARTA board members over the weekend:

Vote for a $400,000 contract to hire a lobbyist, and you could lose your job. Here’s the e-mail, authenticated by the lawmaker:

From: Jill Chambers
Sent: Saturday, October 10, 2009 1:12 PM
Subject: attention MARTA board members!!!!

October 10, 2009

To: MARTA Board members & staff

From: State Rep. Jill Chambers, MARTOC Chairman

The MARTA board is expected to vote to approve the hiring of a contract lobbyist for aprox $400K+.

I hope I have made it clear to the Authority that I feel this is a waste of taxpayers money – MARTA already has two staff lobbyists and the firm of Holland & Knight to represent them in government issues.

The Board Governance Sub-committee of MARTOC will examine the votes for the Ethics changes and the contract lobbyist issue.

Should either of these two issues come before the Board, those members who vote in agreement to these staff proposals may see their Board seats eliminated with any future restructuring of the MARTA Act.

MARTOC is mandated by the State of Georgia to examine the financial workings of the Metro Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority. MARTOC is a joint committee of the State House and State Senate.

“This is the first time I’ve ever contacted the MARTA board on any issue,” Chambers said this morning.

She explained her threat more specifically. Any MARTA lobbyist would be seeking to increase MARTA’s ability to use its sales tax revenue for operating expenses. Open up that statute for changes, Chambers is saying, and she intends examine the make-up of the MARTA board – which is addressed in that same statute.

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23 comments Add your comment

Brian

October 12th, 2009
10:47 am

You go Jill. Someone has to hold MARTA accountable, and we know that will not be Fulton or DeKalb Counties.

Lucas

October 12th, 2009
10:48 am

Marta is sorely in need of some more government pull. Jill Chambers is certainly not serving the interests of Marta riders.

Augusta Chronicle Editorial Staff

October 12th, 2009
10:59 am

Nathan Deal wants us to believe his remark about “ghetto grandmothers” has been taken out of context.

So we’re just curious: Under what exact circumstances would it not be offensive for a white male gubernatorial candidate to be talking about “ghetto grandmothers”?

Hmm. We can’t think of any, either.

Sorry, Mr. Congressman. What you said is highly offensive in any and all contexts. Quit trying to blame your opponents for your own moronic remark, sir.

Here’s what he said, regarding voter verification, to a Cherokee County Republican Party gathering recently:

“We got all the complaints of the ghetto grandmothers who didn’t have birth certificates and all that. We wrote some very liberal language as to how you can verify it. My mother was born in 1906 and she didn’t have a birth certificate. They didn’t give birth certificates back then. But we got her one, because you can do it under the proper procedures of your state.”

There. There’s the context. Feel better?

We thought not. The remark represents a 1950s-era sensibility.

Not only is Nathan Deal radioactive now — and quite likely unelectable — but he’s in even more hot water than that: Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington has filed an ethics complaint against Deal with the U.S. House after it came to light that not only was his private company doing business with the state of Georgia, but he and his congressional staff have been contacting state officials to keep the deal going.

Deal and a business partner had a contract with the state to inspect salvaged vehicles that have been rebuilt. Deal has recently ended the 20-year arrangement. But according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Deal previously met with state officials to try to convince them to preserve the program.

Deal also wants us to believe that his and his staff’s dealings with the state are being taken out of context.

“Deal said in August he did nothing wrong and was not using his public office for personal gain,” the Atlanta paper reported. “Instead, he said, he was helping constituents and making sure an important state program continued to protect the safety of Georgians.”

Oh, so it was for our benefit. Right.

He’s now going about the business of trying to salvage his 2010 run to succeed Gov. Sonny Perdue.

He’ll be doing that for our sakes, too, one supposes.

Lucas

October 12th, 2009
11:02 am

Brian, MARTA had to get legislation written to install vending machines. It took over two years to do. Can you imagine if you were running a business and you had to ask the legislature whether you could install vending machines? They obviously need more lobbyists. They did a great job getting me to work this morning, but they’d do a better one if their hands weren’t tied by the State. Let MARTA be a business.

Daedalus

October 12th, 2009
11:06 am

Jill Chambers reneged on a promise last year to help revise the arbitrary 50-50 split on revenue spending. Its not like the MARTA board has any reason to fear making Ms. Chambers any more anti-transit than she already is.

But I wonder about the sense of spending $400K or even twenty-five cents on lobbying a GOP controlled legislature on transit issues. Especially in an election year. Voting against MARTA — even if it does not cost one extra dime in taxes — is a no-brainer for the GOP.

What we need is to get Chambers out of the legislature — she’s in a vulnerable district and her anti-transit views play better in South Georgia than in Atlanta.

Coastal Cavalier

October 12th, 2009
11:13 am

“Let MARTA be a business.”

Great let it be a business and don’t run to the state for money to bail out mismanagement. Who do you think you are…the post office.

Melissa

October 12th, 2009
11:43 am

I’m not sure this is really about whether MARTA should be hiring a lobbyist or not – I think this is more about a local State Representative who has seemingly gotten way to big for her britches, as my Grandmother would have said. Since when do elected officials get to threaten board members of a under-funded, over-worked non-profit? Is this really the kind of politics we want to see in the taxpayer’s names? It’s not like this is the first time Jill Chambers has played hardball at someone else’s expense. Remember those awful answering machine messages her husband left? And that nice kid she threatened to have arrested last year when he put up her opponent’s yard sign? This is just one more indicator that Chambers has been drinking her own Kool-Aid for way too long.

Daedalus

October 12th, 2009
11:45 am

MARTA is asking the state for money, its asking for the right to spend more of its existing revenue stream on operations. When it was created MARTA was required to spend half of its revenue on operations and the other half on capital expenses. That ratio wasn’t based on actual needs — and was simply an arbitrary ratio assigned by Gov Maddox and the legislature. MARTA is simply asking is for the ratio be changed to reflect actual costs.

Perhaps you’d prefer that MARTA was run like GDOT? Now there is a fine example of money pit.

Chris

October 12th, 2009
12:38 pm

Great Responses guys! I agree that maybe should not be hiring a lobbyist for 400k, but they definitely need more pull with our state congressman and congresswoman. However, MARTA, is not a business like Coca Cola or Home Depot. They are an organization for public use, therefore they must be funded by tax payer money. I fwe dont want the service we can vote to dismantle MARTA (foolishness). But if we want a transportation system to link our sprawling metropolis, we must back MARTA financially and legislatively. The larger contiguous Metro Counties need to opt-in on the 1 cent tax MARTA requires. It’s been 30 years since they initially opted out. Times have changed and we have added roughly 3 milliion people to the Metro area while also creating one of the worst commute ever. MARTA cannot become the system this city and region needs without the people backing it. And if you dont like MARTA, what is our alternative… I say turn to MARTA and make sure that we can clean up their structure, provide create oversight, and intergrate MARTA into the residential fabric inside and outside the perimeter.

Cutty

October 12th, 2009
1:47 pm

I thought legislators liked lobbyists? Whats funny is you have someone completely opposed to an agency overseeing them. She’d find fault with anything they did.

Man about Town

October 12th, 2009
2:04 pm

so it is OK for MARTA to hire lobbyists to wine and dine elected officials?

Wow, some MARTA cheerleaders and employees thinks it is ok to keep spending money as fast as Congress can get it off a printing press.

what happens after the money is all gone? where will MARTA go then?

Chris

October 12th, 2009
2:13 pm

MARTA doesn’t get a dime from the state. It makes no sense for the state to have any authority over something they’re not willing to give to financially.

walker, texas ranger

October 12th, 2009
4:11 pm

Coastal Cavalier…Marta has not been given ANY money from the State. I personally think it would be beneficial for Chambers to shut up. I live in Fulton county, but not her district. Rest assured that I will do all I can to help un-seat her. She’s not looking out for the interest of Marta Riders (her constinuents).

Chris2

October 12th, 2009
4:18 pm

Good for Rep Chambers – the MARTA board seems to spend money like water – then complain that they need more. They will always need more if they don’t spend it responsibly. I am glad at least one lawmaker cares enough about the taxpayers to ask the tough questions and remind the board that there ARE consequences for irresponsible, uncaring behavior. And the behavior impacts A LOT of people in metro Atlanta. And the state authorized a sales tax for MARTA – so they are technically getting money from the state. MARTA already has access to the legislature and Dr. Scott or the MARTA board can meet with legislators any time they want. They have at least 2 lobbyists on MARTA staff. There are MUCH better things to do with $400,000.

walker, texas ranger

October 12th, 2009
4:33 pm

Chris2..the state also authorized every other tax in this state through legislation, but our bills come from counties and local municipalities…there is no technicality there. Marta is ONLY funded by Fulton and Dekalb tax base. Chambers is full of it…there are lot of agencies that she needs to scrutinize..tell her to check our the GDOT which is truly funded by the state….remember.

Bob Smith

October 12th, 2009
4:39 pm

If I remember right, MARTA did this a few years ago and hired Linda Hamrick. Then she got fired by MARTA. Then she got re-hired because of some Eric Johnson connection. Then she faded into the night. So now the MARTA crowd thinks they can try it again. Who will they get to this time to try and get more money for them? Maybe they should try and save money or fire the lobbyist they have now if they think they need more.

EmMeThree

October 13th, 2009
9:30 am

“This is the first time I’ve ever contacted the MARTA board on any issue,” ? What the heck kind of ‘oversight’ is that? Ms. Chambers, you may not realize it, but there is a seat in the back of the MARTA boardroom with a nameplate that says MARTOC (Metropolitain Atlanta Rapid Transit OVERSIGHT Committee). The amazing thing to me is that while MARTA is in the midst of serious financial trouble, that seat has been empty during EVERY Meeting of the MARTA board and its subcommittees. What kind of oversight is that? The ONLY reason I know what you look like is because I Googled your picture! To me it’s like this; oversight = babysitter. As a babysitter, I don’t think you even know what the kid looks like, and yet threaten to “ground” him? I think the issue really lies with whomever is overseeing you! I think you should either show up or S.T.F.U.!

For The People - ALL the people

October 13th, 2009
10:16 am

Obviously Brian and Jill know nothing about the needs of some people for MARTA for transportation. We all know Jill rides around in her new Cadillac SUV and Brian probably rides around in something just as big and expensive and neither have a clue as to the needs of those with less assets.

Johnatl

October 13th, 2009
11:44 am

I happen to live in this idiots district, and I will be doing everything in my power to unseat her. She has NEVER done anything for MARTA except grandstand for her own perceived good. She is nothing short of an enemy in the way of unraveling our transportation mess. See ya, Jill.

BPJ

October 13th, 2009
1:07 pm

Good comments, Daedalus.

As for MARTA’s critics, one more time: MARTA is NOT asking for state funds. MARTA is asking for permission to use ITS funds in a sensible way. The operating/capital split was arrived at when MARTA was building out its heavy rail system (1975-2000). It makes no sense to stick with that rigid formula now.

Rep. Chambers could solve this easily: she could agree to support an amendment of the legislation, allowing MARTA to use more of its revenue to cover operating expenses – then MARTA wouldn’t NEED that lobbyist!

MARTA to state lawmaker: You're 'misinformed and unfair' | Political Insider

October 13th, 2009
1:08 pm

[...] has sent us its answer to the demand by state Rep. Jill Chambers of Atlanta that the transit system’s board back off spending $400,000 on a lobbyist whose [...]

We Know How Much A Lobbyist Will Cost Marta, But How Much To Ride A Bus? Ummm. Pass. — Peach Pundit

October 13th, 2009
2:31 pm

[...] they’re on opposite sides of a turf war. Shocking, I know. Chambers takes issue with Marta wanting to spend up to $400K on new lobbyists because their existing firm of Holland & Knight plus internal folks can’t seem to talk [...]

Tired of all the BS

October 13th, 2009
4:56 pm

If Marta has 400K sitting around, why not use that money to install additional lighting or hire more MARTA police that is a better use of public funds…..JILL CHAMBERS FOR MAYOR!!!!