After T-SPLOST defeat, Transit Advocates Lobby Clayton to Join MARTA

August 8th, 2012

Now that the metro Atlanta T-SPLOST has failed, a group of T-SPLOST opponents is calling for Clayton County to join Fulton and DeKalb in helping pay for MARTA operations.

It’s an idea that’s picked up speed in recent years, particularly since 2010 when Clayton shut down its local bus service due to lack of funds.

Later that year, Clayton residents overwhelmingly voted in favor of a one percent sales tax to help fund MARTA and local transit. But it was a nonbinding ballot measure and no tax was assessed.

Now, the Sierra Club, the DeKalb NAACP, and state Sen. Vincent Fort of Atlanta are among those who think Clayton should hold a binding referendum.

“We need to have Clayton County put a MARTA referendum on the ballot and let the people decide,” said Fort.

But Eldrin Bell, the chairman of the Clayton County Commission, is still convinced metro Atlanta’s transportation issues should be addressed as a region.

He supported the T-SPLOST but the majority of Clayton County voters (54 percent) did not.

“The people said ‘no’ so why are we at this table with piecemeal solutions? The problem is not going to go away with Clayton County jumping up now.”

Bell has previously expressed concerns that Clayton would have little control over its bus service money if it joined MARTA.

State Representative Roberta Abdul-Salaam, who represents a part of Clayton, says that won’t stop her and the advocacy group Friends of Clayton Transit from putting pressure on commissioners to put the issue before Clayton voters. Abdul-Salaam has been fighting for exactly that since Clayton’s bus service was shut down.

“Our local citizens have lost thousands of jobs. We’ve had major businesses leave this community. People cannot survive without public transportation.”

Friends of Clayton Transit are planning to come out in force for next week’s commission meeting. Its aim is to have a referendum ready for voters as early as November.