Comments on: State to MARTA: Your wants can wait

By: This Week on Week in Review : KSU Owl Radio

This Week on Week in Review : KSU Owl Radio — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 15:40:44 +0000

[...] Jim Wooten on MARTA [...]

By: Often Disappointed/Never Surprised!

Often Disappointed/Never Surprised! — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 14:41:25 +0000

I agree that not all resolutions are not worthy of serious discussion, especially in these trying economic times. However, it amazes me how President Obama’s name is always associated with any financial crisis that is experienced in this country. Obviously, MARTA’s problems pre-existed our President. It is too easy to focus on the one resolution that was associated with President Obama’s campaign, yet it is mentioned in your article. Let us stick to the issues at hand. Our Governor’s office chooses which battles to become involved in. (Let us not discuss school boards or accreditation issues) Apparently MARTA is not important enough. Let us ignore the fact that this current economy requires an even more efficient transit system. With the gas prices fluctuating, and the looming auto-maker crisis, let us get our priorities together. By the way, our views here in the south about mass transit has to change, and change immediately. No longer should bus lines or rail services frighten the so-call affluent communities. Considering the average daily commute our drivers experience and sometimes suffer; I welcome bus lines, and rail service. In fact, why is it that Atlanta does not have express trains. MARTA should offer express trains. Patrons should be able to connect to the airport from downtown Atlanta and vice-versa, without making all of the stops in-between. Imagine the revenue that will be generated from Airline Passengers who are able to zip down town and shop, and make it back for their departing flights. MARTA is an integral part of life in metropolitan Atlanta. Sneeze at it if you will, and see the fall-out!
MARTA benefits Democrats as well as Republicans. Go figure?

By: rwh

rwh — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 13:43:07 +0000

The state of Georgia and the rest of these United States is not what America is all about. It is more concrete that we value the dollar bill more than we value human life. I am sadden to hear and see thousands of Atlantans out of jobs, foreclosures at its peek, MARTA facing shut down, businesses closing, families starving and have to place to stay; this entire mess hurts all of us to the core. When we face community problems, we should not blame them on our residents or employees by laying them off (”firing them”)because of the mistakes made on our watch. I am being honest, I don’t think we will ever recover from this mess we are in. Banks will not take a chance on America borrowing its monies like it did before. We all know that China has consumed America debts; and they are not sure if they will be paid back. What is sure is, business cannot continue to operate charging the high prices they are charging because consumers will opt not to pay those prices. It is really a blow in all of America Citizens face those who have paid taxes over thousands of years and yet, be treated as second-hand citizens. Even the rich is feeling the heat because at one time, they were on top of the world; making six figures and now, they too, are standing in the soup and unemployment lines. I honest think we as American citizens need to start over again because we have permitted high prices to run us out of business and into recession, depresssion and almost ceasing to exist as human being should. I have seen America cities turing into cities that have stop trying to operate because the “green-dollar-bill” has stop floating within the cities accross this country. When america employees stop working, dollar stop moving, and when dollar don’t move, America comes to a “standstill”. It’s time we bring those responsible for this mess to the forefront and hold them accountable. What needs to be done immediately is, put america back to work where all men can work and support and provide for their families. Is that to hard to do?

By: zeke

zeke — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 13:25:59 +0000

NO STATE TAXPAYER MONEY FOR THIS SOCIALIST BOONDOGGLE! RAISE THE FARES ENOUGH TO SUPPORT THE OPERATIONS , SHUT IT DOWN, OR, SELL IT TO PRIVATE OWNERS!!!

By: DB, Gwinnettian

DB, Gwinnettian — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 11:46:42 +0000

When does the new guy start? I hope he interacts with the bloggers, Wooten did some

As I recall, Wooten started participating in his comments threads for the first few months, then bailed and hasn’t been back in ages.

Frankly, I wouldn’t bother either–I’d just ask someone to pull the nastiest comments and let the children play among themselves.

Oh, and a question for “Just Nasty and Mean”–given that you’re surely aware that no big-city transit system in the world actually pays for itself solely with fares from a ridership base, why do you think that MARTA alone ought to do so?

By: Just Nasty & Mean

Just Nasty & Mean — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 09:44:12 +0000

MARTA is a cluster of inefficiency, bureaucratic buffoonery, laughable management, cronyism, nepotism, overpaid union slogging, sloppy, sad-sacks that couldn’t run a business without government taxpayer million$$$ if they tried.

MARTA should be allowed to DIE. Close the friggin doors, stop the escalators, shut down the tracks, and stop operation.

Starting over is the only thing that will save MARTA. Right now, saving this lost cause isn’t worth anybody’s time nor money.

Get this tax-sucking pig off my back, and get the buffoons that live off my work effort and productivity to learn to stand on its own or shut the f**k down.

By: The Party of No is the Party of Panic

The Party of No is the Party of Panic — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 04:30:14 +0000

My assessment is that Wooten’s white cracker butt is ensconsed in an SUV as are all the white crackers in the legislature and as is Sonny Purdue’s rather large butt, and he doesn’t depend on Marta for transportation. My assessment is further that the White Crackers in the legislature, the ones who passed the most medically ignorant stem cell law in the country that will cost Georgia grants and has made it a medical laughing stock, have no business whatsoever sticking their butts in Marta’s ability to use funds raised by sales tax revenues, conidering the fact that Fulton, Dekalb, and Metro Atlanta county taxes fund most of the infrastructure for the rest of the state.

” But it’s too their credit that they passed a reasonable budget”

What numbrain at AJC edited this? Doesn’t Cox News have software that will overcome Wooten’s Enlish languag ignorance?

If and when Marta service is cut off on a Monday-Friday weekday, you’ll hear howling like never before from white CEO’s predominantly, and from state and federal offices who depend significantly on Marta transport. Marta is the sixth largest bus-rail system in the US, and it is unfortunate enough to be located in a state run by ignorant crackers in the legislature.

By: Pierce Randall

Pierce Randall — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 03:12:23 +0000

“jewcowboy” — What mistakes has MARTA made that are so obvious? Are any of these recent enough to be relevant, or substantial beyond poor form-behavior from a certain previous CEO–who actually got a better job anyway and Muni in San Francisco?

By: Ray

Ray — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 03:03:08 +0000

Everything involving MARTA is very bizarre. It was created by the state, the state has oversight authority, but the state has never provided any funding. Cobb, Gwinnett and Clayton counties declined to join MARTA, but each county (as well as the state) has members on the MARTA board of directors. Here we have representation without taxation. Only Fulton and Dekalb counties levy a one cent sales tax on their behalf.
MARTA has a $65 million reserve for capital reserve account but it is clear MARTA will not be expanded and has laid it’s last mile of track. For those of you new to the area and wonder the rail lines are limited, any expansion has to be approved by Fulton, Dekalb county and the city of Atlanta. That will never happen as long as none of the other entities with MARTA board members join the system and provide funding. That is highly unlikely to happen. Does MARTA really need $65 million sitting in a reserve account when it till not be expanded.
Other bizarre aspects surrounding MARTA is the state (through GRTA) helps subsidize surrounding non-MARTA bus systems. The state, in a previous session, drew up plans to fund a heavy rail system going up I75 in Cobb county. MARTA is being criticized for wanting access to their own funds without one penny of it coming from the state, but not a peep was raised when the state announced plans to spends hundreds of millions in state taxpayer funds to build a rail line in Cobb. Like I said, Bizarre.

By: CommunistAJC

CommunistAJC — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 01:52:03 +0000

Bosch, yeah, I was on a roll. Tearing these little peons to shreds. Anyway, I noticed that 10 different bloggers were discussing me which is hilarious. I guess I am popular after all with the libs. Anyway, yeah I am interested to see how this new conservative writer handles himself.