1. Advance Atlanta, October 20 1
Good evening.
Welcome to Cobb County.
Thank you for inviting me to be part of this event.
And, especially for giving me the opportunity to say a few words about my perspective on
transportation.
Transportation is going through a transformation, in the Atlanta region and across the country.
Ten years ago, we were talking about planes, trains and automobiles.
Today, we are talking about transit, trails and driverless automobiles.
Ten years ago, MARTA communities were exploring ways to exit from their commitment to
MARTA.
Today, those same communities are exploring ways to expand MARTA.
Ten years ago, transit was only discussed at the regional planning table.
Today, it is discussed at the economic development table.
Folks, I could go on and on.
But, I don’t need to, you get it.
That’s why you are here.
And, the truth is, it is not us, this room, this “choir”, to whom we should be speaking.
We should be speaking to the voters.
Because, the future of our regional transportation, system depends on THEM.
And as you all know, and I know all too well,
We, in this room, do not make up the majority voting demographic, who actually show up to
vote.

2. Advance Atlanta, October 20 2
I am a champion of transit expansion and, of offering more and better transportation options.
I was a vocal advocate of the 2012 TSPLOST.
I led the initiative to study the possibility of running bus rapid transit down Cobb’s most dense
commercial corridor.
To connect the 3rd largest university in the state, to one of the one of the largest job centers in
the South East, to the City of Atlanta.
But, I learned the hard way that it is not up to me.
Elected officials and government leaders, cannot change the future of transportation from the
top down.
This is a bottoms up discussion.
Right now, the voters in Cobb do not have an appetite for it.
Or, perhaps they just don’t have the appetite to pay for it.
Either way, introducing the notion of transit was not received well.
And, it was the first time I almost lost my job.
My understanding is that even in Gwinnett, where the political landscape is changing much
quicker than Cobb, and, the community itself has started the transit discussion,
the polls show that right now, likely voters are not there yet.
This does not mean we are not making progress.
I think that the MARTA expansion on the ballot in Atlanta is a HUGE step forward.
The transit advocacy work that Senator Brandon Beach is doing for North Fulton is a sign of
major progress.
It is the beginning of the transformation I referenced earlier.
We ARE moving the dial.
And, it is your job to move it further, faster.
I think that is why you are all here tonight.

3. Advance Atlanta, October 20 3
Now, I have attended more of these type of events than I can keep track of.
We all show up and speak to each other- the believers.
We share war stories.
We leave cheering about expanding transit in the region.
I admire, appreciate and applaud Advance Atlanta for your excitement about, advocacy of and
commitment to transit expansion.
I contend that most people in the Atlanta region agree with you. Even the naysayers.
There are very few people who don’t believe that we need more and better options.
There are very few people who are ok with sitting in traffic because it is the only way to get
home from work.
I personally do not believe that we need to persuade voters that we need more transportation
options.
In fact, I would bet that if there was a question on the ballot today, asking voters if they
supported more and better transportation options in the region, including transit, it would get
a landslide yes vote.
BUT, the question before voters is not whether or not we need more transit and transportation
alternatives.
The question for voters is whether or not they are willing to pay for it.
We do not need to convince voters that it’s necessary.
We need to convince them to WANT to pay for it.
That is my challenge to you-
The members of Advance Atlanta
And, everyone in the room tonight.

4. Advance Atlanta, October 20 4
The narrative should not be about the need for transit expansion.
The narrative should be about the value of transit expansion.
Now, I know, you know, everyone in this room knows, how important it is to economic growth
and job creation.
We know how important it is to millennials- our future workforce.
We know that if we do nothing, we will fall behind.
The entire region will suffer.
But, Joe and Donna voter don’t get that.
And, quite frankly, they don’t care.
YOUR job is to bring Joe and Donna voter into rooms just like this.
To talk to them about what expanded transportation options means to them and their
neighbors and their kids and their grandkids.
Talk to them about how it will make their lives better.
This is not an easy task.
It is hard. It will be hard.
But, it is the only way to move the dial further and faster.
We must convince voters that just like they invest in roads, which they do… a LOT,
Their lives will be better off if they also invest in transit and other alternatives.
This is what we need to do.
This is what YOU need to do.