Atlanta, GA
New audit finds MARTA overcharged city by millions for expanded bus, train services
![New audit finds MARTA overcharged city by millions for expanded bus, train services New audit finds MARTA overcharged city by millions for expanded bus, train services](https://images.foxtv.com/static.fox5atlanta.com/www.fox5atlanta.com/content/uploads/2024/08/1280/720/43DE98B0F19E456E9D5BA90851C9E467.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
MARTA may owe Atlanta taxpayers millions of dollars
Atlanta city leaders say MARTA owes taxpayers millions of dollars. This comes after an audit found that the transit agency may have been overcharging for services under the city’s more MARTA program
ATLANTA – Atlanta city leaders say MARTA owes taxpayers millions of dollars after an audit found that the transit agency may have been overcharging for services under the city’s “More MARTA” program.
Eight years after residents voted yes to an expanded bus and train services, the independent audit revealed upwards of $70 million in discrepancies over money spent and the actual cost of services.
“The suspicions have been there…it’s disappointing that the suspicions have been validated,” Atlanta City Councilman Michael Bond told FOX 5.
Atlanta City Council President Doug Shipman says he and other council members sounded the alarm on program spending about a year and a half ago.
“The auditors found that certain years, the auditors couldn’t find how MARTA made the calculations for the service deliveries,” he explained.
The findings released to the public on Monday by an independent firm said MARTA overcharged for services between 2020 and 2022.
The transit agency admitted to errors in those years totaling a little over $20 million.
“The calculations that they made were overestimates,” Shipman said.
MARTA officials sent a letter in response to recommendations auditors made for better record keeping and communication —agreeing with most—but denying the findings from 2017-2019 that showed a $40 million gap in services.
In a statement to FOX 5, a MARTA spokesperson said:
“Mauldin & Jenkins’ calculations are wrong. They used a flawed methodology by applying a COVID-based formula to reverse engineer what they believe should have been charged for bus service in 2017, 2018 and 2019, resulting in false calculations. MARTA charged for the cost of actual bus service during those years and the City officials then in charge were aware of the costs, as the minutes of monthly meetings prove.
“MARTA informed the City and Mauldin & Jenkins of their flawed methodology and is disappointed that our responses to the audit which were provided to both parties were not included or referenced.”
Bond says his concern is the public’s perception of trust.
“We went out and took a message to voters that if they supported the referendum, the money would be spent 100% on what they absolutely wanted,” Bond stated.
That statement from MARTA went on to say: “Despite these errors, MARTA will continue to work in good faith with the city to improve the IGA and strengthen the overall success of the More MARTA Atlanta Program.”
The next step is a meeting between MARTA officials and Mayor Andre Dickens to get on the same page.
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Atlanta, GA
Audit: MARTA owes Atlanta taxpayers $70M
![Audit: MARTA owes Atlanta taxpayers M Audit: MARTA owes Atlanta taxpayers M](https://images.foxtv.com/c107833-mcdn.mp.lura.live/expiretime=2082787200/0813f411e5f22460628362b9a93e3f72646958461470c12c5e5412d7c47aac7e/iupl/EC9/6AC/1280/720/EC96ACE3F8A82B13CBBB935D776AD8CC.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
An independent audit reveals MARTA owes Atlanta taxpayers as much as $70 million after overcharging the Atlanta Expansion Program for bus and other operational services. But MARTA has pushed back on the numbers and believes the auditors got it wrong.
Posted
Atlanta, GA
Atlanta joins worldwide protests about Venezuela’s election
![Atlanta joins worldwide protests about Venezuela’s election Atlanta joins worldwide protests about Venezuela’s election](https://www.wabe.org/app/uploads/2024/08/IMG_8135-scaled.jpg-1440x810-1724084700.jpg)
Hundreds of people gathered in downtown Atlanta on Saturday to protest how Venezuela’s authoritarian government is handling its July presidential election.
Demonstrators across the world gathered this weekend to show support for Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, who challenged Nicolas Maduro in the election. The Maduro administration says it won the election, but independent vote counts by opponents show otherwise.
“We’re here because we hope everyone around the world will join us in our quest for freedom,” said Manuel Rodriguez. He’s from Venezuela and has lived in Atlanta for six years. “The people of Venezuela have spoken, and we don’t want Nicolas Maduro as president anymore. It’s as simple as that.”
Woodruff Park filled with demonstrators, many with the bright yellow, blue and red Venezuelan flag draped over their shoulders or emblazoned on baseball caps. Hundreds chanted, “Libertad!” between speakers calling for a free Venezuela over a megaphone.
“People in my country don’t even have the possibility to get healthcare, “Rodriguez said. “Why is that possible in the country with the largest oil reserves in the world?”
He said Venezuelans have fled to the U.S. in large numbers in recent years because of economic and social issues paired with the threat of political oppression for those who did not support the Maduro administration.
These things prompted former President Donald Trump to pause deporting some Venezuelans because of the political unrest.
The Biden administration then granted those fleeing Venezuela to the U.S. temporary protected status, protecting Venezuelans already in the U.S. from deportation or being detained by the Department of Homeland Security based on whether or not they have documentation outside of the temporary protected status.
Some protesters in downtown Atlanta held body-length pieces of paper with vote tallies that show Urrutia won more votes than Maduro. Many other protesters held signs with various calls for democracy and help for the country.
Erika Gomez had one of them.
“Imagine a country where you go to presidential elections and the government declares itself the winner, but the Electoral College refuses to publish results,” she said. “That’s what’s happening in Venezuela right now.
Gomez is from Venezuela and has lived in Atlanta for the last 20 years. She said the Maduro administration’s rejection of a democratic voting process is just the latest in a long line of decisions that have hurt her home country.
“Extreme ways of government are not foreign to any country and no country is exempt from experiencing something like that,” she said. “Democracy is very fragile everywhere.”
Atlanta, GA
Patient sues Emory Hospital in Atlanta after it allegedly lost part of his skull
![Patient sues Emory Hospital in Atlanta after it allegedly lost part of his skull Patient sues Emory Hospital in Atlanta after it allegedly lost part of his skull](https://static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2024/08/emory.png)
A patient filed a lawsuit against Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia, over allegations the hospital lost part of his skull that was removed during surgery.
Fernando Cluster said he underwent brain surgery at Emory University Hospital in Midtown in September 2022 after suffering a stroke, according to Atlanta News First.
The surgery required the removal of a piece of Cluster’s skull called the bone flap, the outlet reported.
Cluster returned to the hospital for a follow-up surgery scheduled for November 2022 to reattach the bone flap but, the lawsuit claims, the hospital was unable to locate his bone flap when he arrived.
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A patient filed a lawsuit against Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia, over allegations the hospital lost part of his skull that was removed during surgery. (Getty Images)
“‘There were several bone flaps with incomplete or missing patient identification’ and therefore, Emory ‘could not be certain which if any of these belonged to Mr. Cluster,’” the lawsuit reads, according to the report.
Since the hospital allegedly failed to find Cluster’s bone flap, a synthetic replacement had to be made, which forced him to stay in the hospital for an additional 12 days while the synthetic replacement was made, according to the lawsuit.
The synthetic replacement became infected, which required Cluster to undergo another surgery, the lawsuit said.
Cluster was charged for the additional surgeries and time he had to stay in the hospital. He claims he incurred $146,000 in medical expenses after his treatment.
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![Emory University Hospital](https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2024/08/1200/675/emoryu.png?ve=1&tl=1)
Fernando Cluster said he incurred $146,000 in medical expenses after his treatment. (Getty Images)
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The lawsuit accuses Emory of negligence and said the hospital “failed to exercise ordinary and reasonable care,” which led to injury. The lawsuit also said Cluster suffered “physical and emotional pain” and has been unable to work following the error.
Cluster is seeking compensation for injuries and damages.
The hospital said it would not comment on pending litigation, but said “Emory Healthcare is committed to providing high-quality, compassionate care for patients and those we serve in our communities,” according to Atlanta News First.
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