I want answers

A lunch bill of $10,000 may seem inconsequential to a lobbyist, but it is quite the tab for the average Atlanta Journal-Constitution reader. The amount seems like even more when the company paying for it, MARTA, is in desperate need of funding and receives its money from AJC readers in the form of taxes and fares.

This article explains the purpose of the lunch--to sweet-talk lawmakers into helping MARTA increase revenue--but it provides an empty quote from the MARTA board Chairman Michael Walls: “We have to get the message out." I hope the reporter pressed Walls for more of an explanation but he did not elaborate, otherwise I would have liked her to question him again. The Senate Chairman actually gives a better defense for the expense by saying that it was a relatively cheap way to get lawmakers' attention.

I understand the defense that lobbyists often spend a lot more on publicity but that does not make it OK, especially when taxpayers' money is being used. Readers want the media to represent them by asking the questions they would have liked to ask. I would have liked the reporter to ask the lawmakers if they were more likely to help MARTA now that they received a free lunch. Also, I want to know if the Senate Chairman thinks that it is wrong. If I was this reporter's editor, I would ask her to interview more attendees to get their opinions on the apparent need to provide lunch to lawmakers to support public transit. As a citizen, I am disappointed that my questions were not answered.

With the lunch, MARTA wanted to convince lawmakers to eliminate the requirement to equally divide its money between capital projects and operations. This proposal actually passed during the lunch, so I do not know if the lunch helped that cause of if the lunch was a waste of money. Does the MARTA chairman think the lunch was necessary considering that fact? Another problem with this article is that the writer does not explain the difference between capital projects and operations or why this mandate was ever in place. Therefore, I do not know how this change affects riders.

I do like how the AJC links to related articles. By reading this one, I found out what a "25 percent" cutback actually means to the reader--MARTA may discontinue its weekend service and reduce the weekday service.