By Laurie McClain
Member, Gwinnett Transit Advisory Board
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. | After serving on the board of my Homeowners’ Association (HOA) for five years, in 2005, I formed a professional HOA management firm to help other boards manage HOAs. They would have an annual meeting to discuss the upcoming year’s budget. Every year, homeowners would complain about why there is a need to raise dues.
McClain
I learned, and subsequently taught, my Board presidents the concept of “Pine Straw and Pansies.” What does pine straw and pansies have to do with transit in Gwinnett? Nothing. But it has everything to do with getting folks on board to agree to tax themselves (or raise their dues)to provide services to the community.
You see, I would encourage my boards to immediately provide some sort of tangible, visible improvement to their community. Even a small thing like pine straw and pansies at the front entrance would show homeowners that they are receiving some sort of benefit for their dues.
Homeowners, like voters, just want to know that their dues (tax dollars) are being used wisely. Gwinnett County has spent millions of dollars and thousands of staff and volunteer hours to put together a “plan” that voters will agree is worth their tax dollars.
And they have done this numerous times, all to no avail. In the meantime, the age – old argument of “empty buses,” continues to abound. If the buses we have now are empty most of the time, why would I vote to tax myself to provide even more empty buses? It’s a valid question.
I would like to suggest that Gwinnett stop trying to create a plan that is all things to all people. Instead, focus on small, adaptable steps that maximize ridership and show voters there is a need and a benefit.
Each plan that Gwinnett has put out to voters in the last 10 years has been enormous. All have been overwhelming and incredibly expensive.
Instead, consider a three-year T-SPLOST pilot program that provides “micro transit” in the areas where there is an urgent need. Also continue to tweak the bus routes we have now (that we can’t discontinue because of federal regulations) so that they aren’t “empty.” Prove that there’s a demand and that it solves a problem, and you will get more support.
Gwinnett should also show that we all understand that COVID taught us that many of us can work from home. (Fact – we have still not returned to pre-COVID levels of ridership.) Technological improvements happen exponentially.
The last iteration called for installing infrastructure that is designed to provide services ten years from now at a cost of billions of dollars over 30 years. That was just counter intuitive. Ignoring this reality is insulting to voters and they have shown the Board of Commissioners how they feel.
Let’s stop the insanity. Reconsider the need for a “massive” transit plan for Gwinnett.
Let’s recognize that this is the 21st century and change happens very rapidly. Give us some pine straw and pansies so we know we are making progress.
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