Statement on City Council “Audit” of More MARTA Program
This position by the Atlanta City Council is disappointing and disingenuous. We have answered these questions, and instead of accepting the answers, Council is playing politics by demanding a full performance review of decisions made by previous MARTA and City of Atlanta leaders. This is yet another stall tactic
from a collective group that has been wringing their hands and conflating the More MARTA program with the City’s Renew Atlanta TSPLOST program.
Each of these political roadblocks delays work on our key projects, and that is precisely what the Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) intended to prevent.
At this juncture, as the fiduciaries of taxpayer funds to implement the program, such a review will obligate MARTA to pause work on all More MARTA Atlanta projects, with the exception of the federally funded Summerhill BRT and Five Points Transformation, until this matter is resolved.
Every step of the program has been taken in concert with the City of Atlanta, as laid out in the IGA. It was MARTA leadership’s expectation that after the recent City-requested resequencing exercise, we would focus on delivery of the program. Instead, that exercise is being used as an excuse to further delay.
MARTA has the funding, bandwidth, expertise, and a clear path forward. All that is missing is the political will.
MARTA has been transparent and shared all financial and other reports, most recently on February 28, 2023 (see attachments from Mr. Greenwood). Further, MARTA’s operations and finances are audited by outside parties in the following ways and this information is available on MARTA’s website:
- Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (performed by Crowe)
- Federal Transit Administration Triennial Audit
- State of Georgia Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Oversight Committee (MARTOC) Management Audit (every 4 years)
- Credit Rating Agencies – perfect AAA score
Established in 1971, MARTA has delivered service through eight City of Atlanta Mayoral Administrations and hundreds of Councilmembers. While at times, all relationships are challenging, MARTA is focused on providing service and expanding the system for those we serve and stands ready
to move forward with our partners at the City of Atlanta. The best thing the politicians on council can do for their constituents in the City of Atlanta is to get out of the way and let MARTA deliver the projects.
2023.02.28_Letter and Packet to Mayor Dickens_MMA Quarterly Financial Reports
2023 Q1 COA 03.01.2023 presentation