By Sen. Emanuel Jones
ATLANTA (Feb. 15, 2010) – In less than two months, Clayton County citizens could lose their most affordable means of public transportation. The county commissioners’ decision to stop service after March 31 has drastic implications for Clayton County and the entire state. Wiping out the C-TRAN system means losing jobs, valuable transportation infrastructure and economic vitality.
Yet there’s hope. This decision isn’t the final nail in C-TRAN’s coffin. After the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus hosted a public hearing with community leaders, C-TRAN riders and other stakeholders, it became clear that there are viable options to keep the system afloat. Hearing the impassioned public outcry against shuttering C-TRAN also made it clear that doing nothing is not an option.
There are a number of solutions that could provide sustainable funding. Allowing Clayton County citizens to vote on levying a 1 percent sales tax in their region would give them the option of funding public transportation with that money. By carving out a section in one of this year’s transportation bills, we could lift the 7 percent tax cap in Clayton to allow this referendum to come before voters.
During the hearing, Clayton County Commissioner Eldrin Bell reminded everyone that the commission has the ability to levy a 1 percent sales tax at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, which would raise $2.5 million annually. This tax would mostly be paid for by out-of-town travelers and avoids putting the financial brunt on Georgia citizens.
A third option is to amend the original MARTA Act to give C-TRAN the option of using more than 50 percent of its cash on operating expenses and the other 50 on capital projects. Freeing up the system’s cash flow allows C-TRAN to dedicate funding to areas that need it most. Legislation has been in the works since last year to allow MARTA the same flexibility, and is an effort that’s still being heavily pursued by lawmakers.
While we’ll explore a combination of these options, our next step is to ask the commissioners to rescind their vote on shutting down the system. Anything they can do, they can undo. Losing such infrastructure is certain to result in Georgia missing out on more federal transportation funds in the future. This decision must be overturned or new solutions found if we want our state to remain the capital of the South.
While the president is signaling a move forward on nationwide high-speed passenger rail, we’ll only move our state backward with the loss of C-TRAN. Florida and North Carolina received a combined $1.57 billion in high-speed rail stimulus funds, while Georgia received only $750,000. If we don’t begin building our regional infrastructure, we’ll continue losing out to neighboring states that are willing to invest in their economic health.
Additionally, at a time when we’re facing record unemployment rates we’re also talking about voluntarily cutting more jobs from the region’s economy. Bus drivers, mechanics, dispatchers and a host of other support staff will be forced to join Georgia’s unemployment rolls. Losing bus service will also impact businesses and local retailers. During the C-TRAN hearing, we heard from a local small business owner whose employees depend on C-TRAN to get to work. If they lose that transportation option, she’ll lose her staff. The implications for the 2.5 million people who depend on these buses could be the inability to get to work and school, see their doctor, visit their church, or simply buy groceries and other goods at local shops.
Since C-TRAN’s creation in 2001, citizens have depended on the system as the most affordable mode of public transportation in the county. While loosing C-TRAN hurts our state in the long run, it hurts our citizens today.
If C-TRAN closes, the county will have to pay back $2.1 million in federal funds that were invested when the system was created. We need to find solutions instead of letting this vital transportation system die. I’m proud to stand with GLBC members and other concerned legislators to lead the fight for C-TRAN’s survival. This is not simply a Clayton County issue; it’s an issue that affects the entire state, and we’re committed to finding a sustainable way to fund C-TRAN.
Sen. Emanuel Jones represents the 10th Senate District, which includes portions of DeKalb and Henry counties. He may be reached at 404.656.0502 or via e-mail at emanuel.jones@senate.ga.gov.
COLUMN
For Immediate Release:
February 15, 2010
For Information Contact:
Raegan Weber, Director
Kallarin Richards, Senior Communications Specialist
kallarin.richards@senate.ga.gov
404.656.0028