Atlanta: Clayton County to propose 0.5 percent tax to join MARTA [Updated: MARTA counteroffer at 1 percent] [Update 2: Clayton puts 1 percent on referendum]

[Updated - see bottom of post for latest information and sources]

Today, Clayton county commissioners passed a resolution for a 0.5% sales tax (instead of 1%) to join MARTA and to restore much needed bus service, but that may not be enough for the MARTA board to approve a referendum. MARTA is the transit provider in the city of Atlanta, Fulton, and DeKalb counties, and could bring bus rapid transit and commuter rail to Clayton county.

I went to the county's meeting tonight. The auditorium was packed, with several people waiting to get in. MARTA was discussed at previous meetings, but tonight was the last regular meeting of the board before a state deadline to organize a referendum for this November. The meeting went roughly as follows:

• Meeting starts, and MARTA supporters discover that MARTA is not on the meeting agenda.
• The county's board adds a resolution to the end of agenda for a half-penny sales tax.
• The county's board processes the regular business.
• The county's board gets to the MARTA resolution for only 0.5% sales tax instead of 1%.
• A letter from Norfolk Southern (NS) is read to the board. The letter warns the commissioners that the railroad through the county is strategic to NS, and that NS had no study or analysis about the feasibility of commuter rail between East Point and Lovejoy.
• A letter from MARTA CEO Keith Parker is read to the board. The letter states MARTA's commitment to service in the first half of 2015 if the referendum passes and its willingness to make the board as comfortable as possible with executing a contract with MARTA.
• We hear questions from multiple commissioners. Key points include:
• This is the second time the Georgia Legislature is allowing the County to put a referendum for MARTA because the maximum of 8% sales tax is already in place; if the County changes its mind, it requires action from the Georgia Legislature to allow another exception.
• Another question revolves around the abandon of the underperforming MARTA's BRT demonstration project in DeKalb county.
• We also learn that MARTA board would likely not approve Clayton County's proposal at the 0.5% sales tax funding as it would be unfair to Fulton and DeKalb who contribute 1%.
• The county board discusses the MARTA resolution. Two camps emerge:
• Doing a simple 0.5% percent to MARTA (the resolution as introduced)
• vs Doing a 0.5% to MARTA and a 0.5% to an "escrow" account for rail expansion (for example, on NS shared or separate tracks).
• This may be the last opportunity for the county to get rail.
• Another commissioner expressed concern for an already high sales tax level. The county has been losing residents and businesses.
• The 0.5%-0.5% split is applauded by the public. Two commissioners are in favor. One supports expressed support for the 0.5%. However, nobody makes a motion to change the resolution to the 1% tax level to MARTA. The resolution passes 3-2 as introduced.
• Advocacy groups gather outside the county building. at 0.5% tax, the fear is that the MARTA board will not accept the county proposal. Press interviews take place. Would it be possible to convince both Clayton County and the MARTA board to come to a working agreement?

To be continued. Read other sources: 11Alive.

[Update] The MARTA board rejected Clayton county's proposal on ground of fairness to Fulton and DeKalb, and passed a resolution to accept proposals from the county that involve a full 1% tax. Read on at Saporta Report, AJC, CBS, CLATL, NewsDaily.

[Update2] Clayton County commissioners met on Saturday morning and passed 3-1 a resolution to organize a referendum for a 1% MARTA sales tax in November. Read more on AJC, CLATL.