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Economy

Can Amazon push officials to develop real transit solutions?

Amazon has listed access to transit as a condition for a $5 billion second headquarters that could eventually employ 50,000. Could this be the push elected officials and politicians have been waiting for to develop real transit solutions? Atlanta was rated as the worst city for transportation reaching no-car households, according to research by the Brookings Institute. Out of the almost 40 thousand people who can’t afford cars in Atlanta, public transportation only reaches about

2017 Legislative Session

Republicans championing transit?

Republicans down at the Capitol are angling to become champions of public transit. What’s going on? This doesn’t exactly strike me as a bread and butter Republican issue. While there are strong economic development arguments to be made for investing in public transit, Republicans tend to shy away from anything with the word “public” attached to it. David Ralston, the Speaker of the House, announced the Georgia Commission on Transit Governance and Funding, a new

2017 Legislative Session

The 2017 GOP legislative priorities (so far)

The legislative session has begun! For the next several months, our elected legislators will be drafting, vetting and voting on new laws. GOP leaders in both the House and the Senate have already begun talking up their legislative priorities. The first week is mostly ceremonial, but priorities are beginning to emerge. Expect that some leaders are also eyeing higher office for 2018. Republicans in the Senate have already announced their legislative priorities, which include transportation, education funding,

Podcast Ep. 10: Public transit

Today we’re looking at public transit — can Georgia thrive without an expansion of Georgia transit? Will Republicans learn to love trains or are we doomed to a future of roads-only policy? You can Subscribe and Listen to the podcast on iTunes, and be sure to leave us a rating and review! Making Atlanta more attractive to more people, to more businesses will help everyone.” – Bryan Long Show Notes: The effect of the MARTA bill Why transit

Public Transit

Small money for transit projects; bigger shift in conversation?

Georgia just announced the recipients of $75 million in grant money for transit projects. Included in the list of projects is upgraded signage for MARTA, electric buses for UGA, bus service expansion in Cobb and new hybrid-electric buses for Athens-Clarke County. This is still a drop in the bucket compared to the $1 billion last year’s big transportation funding bill is expected to generate and spend annually. Gov. Nathan Deal pats Georgia on the back

2016 Legislative Session

The biggest progressive victories of the year (so far)

The final progressive victory of this year’s legislative session came yesterday with a veto of the disastrous “Campus Carry” bill, which would have legalized guns on college campuses throughout the state. Gov. Deal’s veto announcement came just before his deadline to sign or veto bills passed during the surprisingly successful 2016 session, which ended in March. Here are a few of the biggest progressive victories of the year (so far): Campus Carry (VETOED). Gov. Deal seemed