When public services are contracted out to private companies, service takes a back seat to profits, and quality suffers. I object to millions of our tax dollars being given to ANY private company to operate MARTA's Mobility paratransit service.
Why is this important?
MARTA has outsourced its paratransit service before. The result was so horrible that the federal government issued an injunction against MARTA under the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), which MARTA is still not in compliance with today! MARTA Mobility, the only means of transportation for many of our city's most challenged citizens, is too important to be experimented with again.
Cutting the pension and benefits of low-wage workers, and hiring new workers at even lower wages, will not improve the quality of MARTA Mobility service.
Changing the eligibility process and adding new hurdles to disabled people applying for MARTA Mobility will not improve the quality of the service.
County Commissions appoint MARTA Board members and approve public funds for MARTA. I am watching this issue, and related MARTA ballot initiatives, closely.
