My father always says, “It’s not a bargain if you can’t afford it.” I believe that is the advice he might pass along to MARTA supporters.

MARTA has long desired more flexibility in its ability to determine how it will spend its funds. Currently, 50% of MARTA funds must be spent on capital improvements and 50% on operations. This is a fairly tight financial straitjacket, though it is a way to prevent subsidization of riders at the expense of abandoning necessary upkeep of the system.

There is a possibility that the ties on spending might be loosened in the draft legislation suggested by the Transit Governance Task Force. There are; however, strings as Maria Saporta writes in The Saporta Report:

To free MARTA from the state-imposed restriction that 50 percent of its revenues be spent on capital and 50 percent be spent on operations, MARTA basically would have to turn over most of its authorities to the newly-created Transit Governance Council. For the record, no other transit agency in the nation is saddled with such an unworkable rule.
MARTA represents a $6 billion investment in our region. Why should MARTA turn over its Constitutional powers to a state-controlled entity and give up its designation as the transit authority that can receive federal funding in the region.
According to folks close to MARTA, relaxing the 50/50 rule would give MARTA flexibility over how it spends its sales tax revenue (and it is expected that currently would be worth about $20 million a year for the transit agency.
It is inconceivable that MARTA could or should give up most of its powers and its $6 billion investment in return for getting flexibility in how it can spend the MARTA sales tax collected in the City of Atlanta, and Fulton and DeKalb counties.

And then there is the issue of the make-up of the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority (GRTA) which would be the body with the ultimate control of MARTA. The 15 members would all be appointed: 9 by the governor, 3 by the lieutenant governor and 3 by the state house speaker. It’s not as though petty, personal politics ever happens in Georgia, so what could possibly go wrong?

From the state’s perspective, things are different. One of the complaints about the state is that it has not contributed as much money to MARTA as is needed. It is a fact that state governments are reluctant to give up control of funds, but let’s take this a step farther.

If the state increases its control of the funds, then it has greatly increased its responsibility for MARTA. It can no longer stand at a distance and point fingers. It will be forced to have a hands-on, problem-solving approach and let’s face it, the state has many more resources at its disposal that it could employ to improve MARTA – if the price is right.

In this case, the price for the state of Georgia taking so much control of MARTA is inescapable political responsibility.

If one wants the state to “man up” and do the right thing by MARTA, then allowing the state to be responsible might be the right way to go. The next logical step would be for the state to increase its funding of MARTA to acceptable levels for a state that still lays claim to the title Empire State of the South.

Is this a bargain that MARTA can’t afford? Perhaps, after all, it is not. My father, actually a man of few words, might offer another bit of sage advice to MARTA supporters, “If you want a man’s help, then make your interests his interests.” Yeah, that bit of wisdom would certainly fit.

There is much more at The Saporta Report, so check it out to get additional information. This is not the only issue with the draft legislation that is discussed. You’re big boys and girls so you can wander over there and find your way back again. For the weary, here’s the link.

It’s a universally accepted truth around here that if you are a government entity, and you want to protect your budget in an era of cuts, you make the most painful public cut of services possible to ensure that the public demands your funding is restored.

Don’t believe me? Ask the Board Of Regents about their great plan to cut 4-H.

Marta now takes up the mantle by saying “No More Braves Shuttle“.

While I don’t have statistics to prove my point (like I ever do?), I think it’s a safe assumption that MARTA sees it’s greatest spikes in ridership, and thus additional revenue, around sporting events.

But, these riders are mixed in with a heavy group of suburbanites who, according to common knowledge, don’t pay taxes to support Marta (because, you know, these folks never shop in Fulton or DeKalb counties).

It is true that Marta receives no state funding. I’m pretty sure some of our local experts on the subject will be quick to point out they are the only large metro transit agency in such a position.

So, Peach Pundit community, I posit this questsion: Is Marta right to take away the services not relied on as much by their core county residents relative to use by non-supportive suburbanites? Or is this a ploy to make folks in Cherokee County demand the state to fund their Braves shuttle? Neither? Both?

Discuss.

A couple of years ago, when Grady Hospital’s financial troubles could no longer be ignored even by suburban Republicans, a series of compromises was made on all sides to place Grady on tenable financial footing. The major concession by Grady was a complete reconstitution of its board of directors.

Marta stands next in line for the Grady treatment, according to the AJC, with an amendment to SB 22 poised to remake the Marta board. Again.

House Speaker pro Tempore Jan Jones said that the legislation (an amendment to SB 22) would reduce the current MARTA board from 18 to 13 voting members, with three appointed by the state. The governor, lieutenant governor and speaker would each appoint one voting member to make up that three. In addition, the Department of Transportation commissioner and the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority director would have non-voting seats.

Jones said it was to ensure balance on the board and make sure Fulton and DeKalb taxpayers were protected.

According to a copy of the amendment, this is how the 13 voting seats would break down:

State – 3

City of Atlanta – 3

DeKalb County – 4 (at least 1 from north DeKalb, at least 1 from south DeKalb)

Fulton County – 3 (1 from south Fulton, 2 from north Fulton)

Jones pointed out that nearly all of Fulton County’s population lives in municipalities, so it only made sense for mayors to make the appointments. She also said it was about protecting taxpayers.

I recommend clicking the link and reading Ariel Hart’s entire article, to get the true flavor of the points of contention, and the motivation for the change.

Jan Jones is still trying to deliver fiefdoms for a still non-existant Milton County, making Fulton/Milton significantly “more equal” than DeKalb in the allotted board seats, presuming that the City Of Atlanta doesn’t select board members who live in the sliver of Atlanta that encroaches into DeKalb.

There is also the question of what MARTA receives for this new board setup. When Grady was forced to accept a new board, it came with new funding avenues. There was a nice carrot to accept that stick. The changes at MARTA seem to be mostly stick. I’d love to be a new board member at MARTA who would understand with my new appointment that I would be running an organization where the beatings will continue until Morale improves.

Should this amendment pass and become law, I have a quick suggestion for one of the appointments at the State level. The Gov, Lt. Gov, or Speaker should appoint Dick Williams to one of the seats. He would balance the ratio of DeKalb/Fulton ratio, lack of transportation planning is one of his greatest pet peeves, and it would give him some quality time with Representative Jill Chambers, should she be re-elected.

The material that this appointment would provide may not change MARTA one bit, but it would certainly liven up Sunday mornings again.

According to WSB-TV’s 5pm show (Monica Kaufman Pearson is hot for this story, now that the weekend is over) MARTA’s Soulja Gal’s (Nafiza Ziyad) victim will not be pressing charges. Seems she knew the girl’s family, and knew that the girl was “troubled.” That could explain why she remained so calm during Nafiza’s outburst. And could be that she’s just plain old-school and wishes no further embarrassment on this family.

The elderly victim also turns out to be the mother of the Morehouse football coach. Pearson had an exclusive interview with the mother of Nafiza, the very troubled young lady staring in the viral video.

Since WSB-TV updates their website about once a year it seems, I won’t bother to link you there. Not yet at least. The best place to keep up with this story remains the blogosphere.

UPDATE: Nifiza Ziyad (aka MARTA’s Soulja Girl) was booked into the DeKalb County jail, but on May 8th. Apparently, she’s still there. You can search this awful data base here in your own for more info and the mug shot and all that other stuff.

So, I must now assume that the YouTube video was the real deal after all! Given the utter black hole of MSM reporting on this, the whole saga just needed some good ‘ole fashioned fact checking.

H/T to our pals, again, at CL. And for help on the data base from Joe at Joeventures. He was able to find Soulja Gal in the DeKalb County jail data base on a first name alone.

I’m trying hard, moreorless, here at the laptop to get to the bottom of this MARTA Media Mess. I got a lady from MARTA on the phone, who asked if I was a “TV station.” (Well, I can be!) When I told her I was a blogger, gave her my real name and my company name, the MARTA employee then said I’d have to call back Monday and talk to Media Relations.

I repeatedly, and politely, asked her if she could make someone available to talk about this little media situation going on, like, right now, and whether someone at MARTA knew if the video on YouTube was real or fake. The unidentified MARTA spokesperson told me, repeatedly, “Have a good weekend.” She then hung up on me.

Maybe you can call and get something out of MARTA on a weekend. The number is: 404-848-4900. Tell ‘em you’re Rupert Murdoch.

Sandrarose.com is THE source for breaking news on the MARTA Soulja Girl saga. She has the mug shot now too.

Funny, this blogger I’ve never heard of up until now, one who typically has mostly rap music celebrity fluff posts, is suddenly News Source Central in this whole deal. Whaz up with that? Heck, for all we know, Sandra Rose could be MARTA Girl! Or the old lady in the video. Or operating the cam. Many possibilities. It’s a crazy, crazy world out there… that’s all we really know for sure at this point. Other than the fact that I can assure you all Pauline Ashley-Wilkes is not, nor has ever been, MARTA’s Soulja Girl.

MARTA’s own Soulja Gal has been turned-in to authorities. By her family. From the SandraRose blog:

The 25-year-old woman who was videotaped verbally abusing a senior citizen on a Marta train is in custody in the DeKalb County jail charged with disorderly conduct.

Soulja Girl’s sister and baby daddy called into the Ryan Cameron Showon V-103 today. Soulja Girl’s sister told Ryan that her sister was diagnosed with bi-polar disorder 5 years ago and the incident on the train was the result of her sister not taking her meds.

She said Soulja Girl was turned into police by their mother yesterday and she is being held on $300 bail.

Yes, MARTA Gal was off her meds. Way off. Her behavior in the video was a classic manic depressive meltdown episode. Albeit with a unique, urban-tinged sheen to it. Shame so many wanted to shoot her down like a rabid dog and ask questions later. She needed help. Right then and there.

Lord knows what her condition is now, since it’s over 30 days after that manic display. I just hope she’s getting help. Her family loves her very much and wants her to get well. They make that quite clear in this interview they gave yesterday to V-103′s Ryan Cameron.

NOTE: Since I’m a media expert and not a psychiatrist, the way this story is playing out in today’s media is fascinating. It was on fire on the Internet, blogs and most urban media. Someone said a link to the video was on Drudge, in red, at some point yesterday. Then it mysteriously vanished. Only one local news outlet, WSB-TV, reported the story on its website and the evening broadcasts, but they were way behind the story. By the time WSB was saying MARTA had issued a warrant for Soulja Girl’s arrest, she was in Dekalb County jail. As of 10:06am on Saturday, WSB’s website hadn’t even updated their website with news of the arrest, let along an interview with family.

At last view, I’ve yet to see this critical, viral news situation on CNN or Fox or any nets. Anyone seen it there? As for our hometown rag, well… let’s just say they’ve got decor-related issues to work. Who needs a critical, news-y, breaking issue playing out right under our Atlanta-based noses when there’s a wedding in Crawford, TX no one’s invited to anyway to report on?!

As for bloggers and alt media CL, you can give yourselves a much-deserved pat on the back for recognizing news as it plays out on the Internet, and how to report it. Sometimes it boggles the mind how Big Media absolutely FAILS to tap the mighty power of a lowly DSL connection. Who can surf when tangled up in all that cable and might?