by  Maggie Lee / Staff

Fulton’s  and DeKalb’s county commissions concede that MARTA’s current funding model doesn’t work; so they’re willing to support another penny sales tax to go toward it. But, emphasized Fulton Commissioner Lynne Riley, only if “we can get a plan that guarantees some use in North Fulton.”

MARTA CEO Beverly Scott calculates that she would need a one-cent sales tax in the eight metro counties outside the Perimeter, plus 65 percent of an additional penny tax in Fulton and DeKalb just to keep MARTA running as it is, much less add anything like a Peachtree Street trolley or a rail extension to Windward Parkway. 

A funding fix could come in the form of a regional tax that would allow groups of counties to vote themselves transportation special option local sales taxes. But one sticking point is that Fulton and DeKalb have been paying a MARTA tax for 30 years and are seeking some kind of recognition of that stake.

To address that, Sen. Doug Stoner (D-Smyrna) last week introduced legislation that would allow Fulton, DeKalb and the City of Atlanta to vote to opt out of any local TSPLOST proposed for the 10-county metro area.  Other metro counties would have to earmark half of any TSPOST they pass for transit. If Fulton and DeKalb join, they could divvy the second penny as they want.

“I’m from Cobb County,” Stoner said. “MARTA’s important to our transit system.”

He added, however, “If DeKalb and Fulton did not participate … you may be hurting yourselves.”

Riley, who represents North Fulton, resolved with the rest of her colleagues to support a second penny sales tax for transportation.

But she opined that only if there’s a concrete proposal for what to do with the funds, would it find favor with her constituents. 

“They’re skeptical now because of Windward Parkway,” she said.

That’s a proposed expansion of heavy rail to the Alpharetta thoroughfare.  The idea first appeared in a 1990 MARTA study and was accepted by the transit body as a secondary priority in 2001.

Riley also wants a voice commensurate with North Fulton’s clout on the board that would pick the projects for the second penny.  Stoner’s legislation uses the elected members of the Atlanta Regional Commission. However, that’s a bit skewed. Both Gwinnett and Rockdale, for example, have two members on that board despite Gwinnett’s much larger population. There is always a north Fulton mayor on the board. Riley and her colleagues are discussing ideas to set proportionality by population, number of road miles or some other measurable criteria. 

But Riley also said, “We must act now. Yes, there are devils in the details but good people coming together with good ideas can do the right thing.”

The speed is necessary in part because MARTA needs money immediately.  Also, the enabling state legislation requires a constitutional change and statewide referendum. To get on the ballot in 2010, something must pass this legislative session. 

John Eaves, chairman of the Fulton County Commission and commissioner-at-large agreed largely with Riley on the need for specifics. “It’s a fragile coalition here,” he said referring to the state legislators, MARTA leaders, metrowide county officials and ARC staff working together on funding.  “The more vagueness, the less likely we are to get something passed.”

Public transit  inherently can’t be self sufficient, suggested Scott. Right now, MARTA gets most of its funding from the Fulton and DeKalb penny sales tax under the state law that governs the authority.

Scott suggested fare rises are no fix; fares make up 28.8 percent of MARTA revenue.  Even dense New York City’s recovery rate hovers between 35 and 40  percent. 

The Joint Fulton-DeKalb Committee on Transportation — the forum in which the two counties are trying to agree on a common tax position — next meets at 9 a.m. Feb. 12 at the Capitol.

At its regular meeting, Fulton commissioners directed their Capitol lobbyists to oppose a bill that would allow registered gun owners to pack their pieces in public places including political meetings, churches and university campuses.

The bill is “the most ridiculous foolishness I’ve ever heard of,” said Commissioner Emma Darnell, who represents much of the west side of Atlanta. 

The resolution passed with only four votes. Riley, Buckhead area commissioner Tom Lowe and at-large Commissioner Robb Pitts abstained.

Fulton County has four registered lobbyists, according to state ethics records. Lobbyist David Pratt also appeared before the Commission, but it’s not clear which of his several listed clients would attach him to Fulton County work. 

The commission also last week entertained a quixotic visit from convicted perjurer and former U.S. Representative from Georgia’s District 4, Pat Swindall.

He was attempting to sell a lease, and maybe a building, to the county.

The Fulton County Public Defender has since 2007 occupied a building owned by Swindall, which is in serious disrepair, according to the county employees.  Public Defender Vernon Pitts testified that worker’s compensation people have been sniffing around because the HVAC is so poor, temperatures reach 90 in the summer and 60 in the winter. The elevators aren’t in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Also, he said, “we’ve had a sewer line backup, we’ve had toilets to overflow and run down from one floor to the next,” among other problems.

 
The commission voted to lease a space for the public defender in the Georgia-Pacific building.