As someone who is starting/owning a business in Alpharetta, MARTA coming to Alpharetta will bring me more business without a doubt, probably a lot of business and a lot more money in pocket. That being said, FUCK ALL OF THAT. Keep MARTA at North Springs, the extra cash in my pocket isnt worth my area where I work and live, being destroyed by the trash that likes to ride it (not saying everyone who rides it, is trash). Look at where MARTA goes up hwy 9/Roswell Rd, everywhere it stops, has turned or turning to shit. Again, nope keep MARTA where its at.

Widen I75 to decongest it?







Lol.

What's a bottleneck do again?

Lol.

In all seriousness, the MARTA trains is not really a good answer either. The lines are very limited and expanding the lines will cost too much and too long.
Look at the LA area...see how well their subway system is working there.

I think that a more widespread bus system with preferred bus lines will do more to help in congestion.

So a $100m a mile criminal transportation unit is the answer? Just because it will make your monthly trip to midtown a little easier? It would still be a bad deal even if it could sustain itself without having to use tax money as a subsidy.

Atlanta should go up before it goes out.  Of course, people want to enjoy the benefits of the downtown area without actually living there.

You realize you can't be both, right? All those harmful chemicals and gasses you release every time you pull the trigger is terrible for your surroundings, not to mention that hunk of lead you're depositing in the ground.

I'm a younger guy and I couldn't care less about being Eco-friendly, and I despise public transport and urban areas. Those ideals reek of collectivism to me.

Yup. I have yet to see an area "improve" after MARTA moved in...

When I lived in St. Louis they had a similar discussion of extending their light rail line.  The neigh sayers got branded as raciest and there were assurances that crime would not follow the rail line.  A few years later, Riverfront Times (liberal, counterculture rag similar to Creative Loafing) ran an article showing how crime directly increased when the line was extended.

“Why would the goblins come north on MARTA?”  For the same reason Bank robbers rob banks – that’s where the money is.

No, the goblins won’t steal people’s 72” plasma TVs and make their escape on MARTA.  They will smash and grab, snatch purses, mug older/weaker looking people and make their escape on MARTA.

To expand on my previous post:



You can read the full story at:  http://www.riverfronttimes.com/2008-08-20/news/out-of-control-shoplifting-at-the-st-louis-galleria-violent-attacks-in-the-delmar-loop-is-metrolink-a-vehicle-for-crime/full/

Remember the Riverftont Time is very liberal, counterculture.  But, even they had to admit the sun comes up in the east.

I hate to tell y'all, but the "goblins" are already out 75 and especially 85. Atlanta has torn down 80% of it's "Project" housing over the last decade and those displaced "families" were given section-8 vouchers for single-family homes which they promptly used to "move on up".  Move on up 75 & 85, that is. Have you actually looked at the crime trends in Gwinnett county, lately? They're nothing to feel safe about.

Truth.

I'm dealing with the spread of section 8 around my home as we speak. It's a blight on a community.

But it's not in Johns Creek, Milton and Alpharetta so that's kind of the point....... Gwinnett was starting to be a shithole 17 years ago when I moved here so it's not like this happened in the scope of a few years. MARTA makes it harder for communities to hold off sliding down but is not the single cause,  Gwinnett has/had other issues even before North Springs was built.

When I first read that I thought you said "Gwinnett stared to be a #$(*&&^ 17 years ago when I moved here."  

Agreed. This is a serious problem that will have long term consequences. I can't believe what it has done to Marietta and the surrounding communities.

Accountant

Franklin Road.

Your willingness to let the government take money from other people for something you can use as long as you pay a little bit too is so noble. You seem to have an elementary understanding of taxes and an overestimation of government competency.  

Everything you listed can be (and are) done by private companies.  Just because the government doesn't do something doesn't mean we're all helpless and out of luck.  You forgot about air traffic controllers and fire departments by the way, but I'm always intrigued by sophomoric arguments like "who will build the roads?!?!"

And the funding comes from?


Taxes have two groups of people: those who benefit from them and don't mind them for specific projects, and those who don't want them and don't utilize the projects. That's life.

This! I dont want that shit near my home.

Look in Marietta where many of the Marta stations are. I have had people throw shit at my car from the station near SPSU at night.

Where there is a profit motive there are people looking to invest to earn a profit.  Where did the funding come from to build the first airplane or automobile?

Taxes have three groups of people: the people who the money is taken from, the people who take the money, and the people who benefit from it.  If it were done under any other name it would be called theft.  The approval of the majority doesn't change the moral actions of government.  If morality can be changed by government law then slavery could be considered perfectly moral, so long as it was government sanctioned.

“There is no worse tyranny than to force a man to pay for what he does not want merely because you think it would be good for him.”

I'd be for this if it were done properly and smartly.  The law enforcement agencies this affects deserve a boost in funding to provide the increased policing around mass transit hubs.  

I hope it's a LONG time (if ever) that MARTA rail comes that far up GA 400.  Definitely a big NO for me.

So you're telling me that you do not benefit from ONE SINGLE TAX that's levied upon you?

because that is 100% cow manure.

Your tax money pays the FAA employees who keep airplanes in the air. Your tax money pays the private companies who in turn pave roads. Your tax money helps with water/electricity/power. Your tax money helps build and "maintain" interstates. Your tax money helps pay for institution that teach your children.

If you want to live in a "tax free" society, go live in a hut in Africa. Otherwise, accept that fact (like me) that if you want to live in this country and utilize it's infrastructure, then you've got to pay your way. Thats what taxes are. Those who sit around and dont pay into taxes and yet still benefit from them are the FSA. There are those, then there are the hard working people like you and I that pay into the system so we can benefit. You might as well use what your money is paying for if you're paying into it. Thats why I would have 100% no problem taking un-employment, disability, or SS for that matter, because I have paid into it since I was 16. It bothers me that my parents (moms never worked, dad just retired from IBM from 35 years) make almost $40k a year in SS benefits-----but then again, my dad paid into that system from the day he turned 18, so he has every right to take that money. Does is suck to have more than $10K taken out of my paychecks per year as federal taxes? Hell yes it does. But if you sit down and think about that amount, and what it "goes to" and all the services that it pays for that I use, then it cools me off a little bit. Sure I wish it was a lot less, but I cant do a damn thing about it except for leave the country.


Isnt there some quote that say two things are certain in life? Death and Taxes?

ETA: I see you have a tank by your name---i assume you understand taxes pay your paycheck? and funding for your ammunition? and your rifle? and every piece of the puzzle as far as military goes? I gladly pay taxes knowing I can call in for close air support if I need it, with those $35million aircraft dropping $4k bombs

Trouble is, it probably wont be...............and a few people will benefit from it, while others will get a negative effect from it............  

You understand the difference between compulsion and voluntary correct?

If you choose to drive, then you pay sales tax on a car you chose to buy, you pay gas tax on the gas that you choose to buy, you pay tax for the tag that you choose to buy that you only need if you choose to drive on public roads. Does anyone here pay tax that subsidizes anyone else's car purchase? What about a tax that subsidizes another's gas or tag purchases?

Why the fuck should I pay taxes to subsidize a rail line that I will never use just because it will be convenient for you a few times a month? If its such a great deal to put it in, and so may people are going to use it, don't you think it would sell enough tickets to pay for it in its entirety?

wow, who the fuck approved that? hope you guys like your property values tanking... thats what marta does to areas, with all the crime that rides it and that it brings in.

heck NO we don't need it up here in the woods. to much crap sneaking in already

FAA employees are the ones who keep aircraft in the sky huh? Thanks for the laugh.

It's sad I should be recommended to live in Africa to have a system that the founders of America designed, that alone speaks volumes. Those people who sit around and don't pay taxes are about 50% of the country by the way.  The government is forcefully taking money from you and me and giving it to other people. Like I said before, that is called theft. If you or I did the same thing we would be put in jail but the government can do it with the support of the majority, many of whom are of course receiving other people's money. You find this to be not only acceptable but morally correct?

You haven't paid into anything, the government took your money and gave it to someone else so now you feel entitled for the government to take another person's money and give it to you.  The bottom line is, anything the government gives you was taken from someone else by force.  You are of the opinion that you are entitled to money that was taken from someone else.

Our government could operate at yr 2000 budget levels (it was too big then too!) with no income tax, yes 0% for everyone. That would pay for our military as well btw, so you could still call for your smart bombs. However our government is too incompetent to make such things work and have instead taken advantage of every possible opportunity to grow the size of government and borrow over $16 trillion dollars to do it at the same time.  To which it seems you have decided to support their continual growing and involvement in our life as if this is completely unrelated to their power to regulate your firearms or food. But hey, as long as you'll have your cool little train fuck it, right?

[/quote]
Yup. I have yet to see an area "improve" after MARTA moved in...[/quote]

THIS!  this is a fact

lol...can you see Alaska from your back porch?

and yes....a friend who I went through BCT with is an FAA controler at Atlanta center.....he keeps planes in the air nowadays and his paychecks come from your tax money...this isnt 1920 with 140 airplanes in the sky above the States.

50% of the country doesn't pay taxes? Lol. I guess 50% of the country is homeless and never buys anything EVER from retailers cause you know, they pay sales tax.

anyways- we're talking federal vs. state/local tax that is a whole other ballgame.

I dont get it though, if you think taxes are so bad- why not move out of the country? caman islands? Africa? I'm sure you can get along there....but there are 100000000s of blacks in Africa, and lord knows you're scared of them because of their presence on MARTA

Step out of the 1940's and realize America has evolved and the government provides MUCH more than it did back in those day, and for that there is a price. Hell, give me your SS funds since you seem to totally disagree with them. I hope you didnt take advantage of the GI bill or TA, because if you did, you're a TRAITOR!

ETA: I'm not for 100% government. Right now, take out disability and any type of gun control and the .gov (at a federal level) is A.O.K in my book.

I can always tell when I've made my point and someone doesn't have a sensible retort when they resort to personal attacks.  Always a class act to not only compare me to Sarah Palin but then call me racist and suggest I move out of the country.  

For what it's worth, the FAA doesn't keep aircraft in the sky. Well trained pilots and modern avionics keep planes in the sky. But if you're right I guess the FAA is responsible for every plane crash? I thought it was pretty obvious we were talking about income taxes (with the 50% comment) as this is also what I alluded to as not needing if we were at 2000 budget levels. But if you didn't pick up on that: I was talking about income tax.

How is it statist always have the same arguments, it's not even interesting anymore.  It always goes roads, Somalia, taxes are responsible, social contract, racism. I probably missed a couple.

Life isn't all about beer growlers and little five points, especially when you don't even live there. I agree that Atlanta has a transit problem to solve, but I don't think this is an efficient answer. Look at the cost per mile of rail, and how many people would actually be using it. You would probably have 8 or 10 people buying that for just one to use.

Furthermore, you have to understand that tanking property values are a fact with MARTA. Even if you dismiss the reason for that as racism (its not), why should so many people have to bite that bullet in the name of social mandates? Look how popular the healthcare "reform" is, because it is the same thing, those who have worked to get themselves somewhere they want to be now, having reached their destination, are being told to move over and share it with someone who has done no such thing. Your argument of "everyone pays into the tax bucket" would work if everyone did just that, but they don't, and as long as those who generate value buy into the idea that we have some obligation to pay the way of others, where is the incentive for those who don't to change that? There is none.

When the answer you give for your argument is "take a class in X," I'm sorry to say that you need to realize that classes are perfect little worlds that paint a picture the professor wants to paint, where such things as facts and realities are often used sparingly. Your argument is valid in the same world where everyone works hard to contribute and where they don't take advantage of a system too PC to come down hard on them for the purpose of taking the fruits of others' labor, tangible and intangible.