Decatur Square, Decatur GA (pic submitted by J_T)

All over metropolitan Atlanta, politicos are speaking a language their constituents want to hear.  “Add a penny to our sales tax and you can go right on doing what you’ve been doing all these years, be it driving, cycling or skipping to work, but faster!”, they announce.

OK, here’s an actual quote from an actual person…

“[Beltline projects] are worthy purposes for the city of Atlanta, but they are not related to relieving the Atlanta region’s traffic congestion,”

That’s Sandy Springs Mayor Eva Galambos, who went on to say that the Beltline doesn’t connect to the MARTA system, which is false and the topic of a different post, but really it could be just about anyone these days.

The way to sell a transportation tax to the populace is to talk endlessly about “congestion relief”.  And yes, if they add a few lanes to your interstate of choice, for a few months you’ll enjoy a bit more elbow (side-mirror?) room along your commute. But then suddenly…ok, gradually…something called “triple convergence” sets in.

An 2004 article from from Anthony Downs at the Brookings Institute entitled “Why Traffic Congestion Is Here to Stay…and Will Get Worse” describes this phenomenon as “the complex process of adaptation through which the various sectors of the metropolitan system adapt to changes in other sectors – specifically to changes in locations, times and modes of travel.”

Which means that if you’re city is appealing, and not DYING, any sort of “congestion relief” – especially when it comes to widening and building new roads – will eventually dissipate as more people discover this new, quicker route around your city.

But most political folk know this, yet they still call for it.  Why?

Read the rest of this entry »

Just received this note from CSD…

Please note that we have a very special guest dining with our middle school on Friday:  Dr. Kathleen Merrigan, Deputy Secretary of the United States Department of Agriculture.  She is in town for Fresh Summit, a Produce Marketing Association conference, and chose to have lunch with City Schools of Decatur!  We expect Dr. Merrigan at Renfroe Middle School 11:30-12:30 on Friday, October 14th. Our Farm to School Partners, including the Decatur Cook’s Warehouse, Decatur Farm to School and the Oakhurst Community Garden plan to be on site as well.  Allison Goodman, Director of School Nutrition, and her staff are looking forward to showcasing the great school lunch choices available at Renfroe Middle School!

Rick points out this AJC article…

On Monday night, the Duluth City Council approved a short-term management agreement with Owen, enabling him to take over the oft-maligned Red Clay Theatre and turn it into an entertainment destination.

“I’m now a freelancer, I now have wings and I’m looking to fly to Duluth,” Owen told the council. “I’ve never ever experienced the infrastructure in place like it is here in Duluth.”

DM was the first to report Eddie’s move to Duluth, HERE.

Photo courtesy of Red Clay Theatre website

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