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The funding

war is starting to heat up between Fulton County and MARTA.

The Fulton

County Board of Commissioners approved two resolutions last week addressing

what it has called the "inequitable funding" of the MARTA

system by Fulton and DeKalb counties and the city of Atlanta.

The first

resolution, cosponsored by Chairman Mike Kenn and Commissioner Nancy

Boxill, expressed opposition to extending the terms of MARTA's contract

from 2040 to 2050, until the Georgia General Assembly creates a "fair

and equitable funding mechanism" for the transportation system.

In the past

few months, Kenn has been adamant in his position that the costs for

running the transportation system should be spread out to more counties

in the region.

The board

agreed that it supports MARTA and the region's clean air initiatives,

but believes taxpayers in Fulton and DeKalb counties and the city of

Atlanta are unfairly burdened with the costs of the system that benefits

the entire metro area.

"This

has nothing to do with my support of MARTA," said Kenn. "it

has to do with the inequitable funding of the system."

The tax is

expected to generate $196 million in 2000.

"MARTA

has clearly become a regional transportation system," Kenn said.

"But the costs of maintaining and improving MARTA fall disproportionately

on the citizens and taxpayers of Fulton and DeKalb counties."

The second

resolution supports state legislation to restructure the MARTA Board

of Directors to allow only those jurisdictions that "substantially

and equitably contribute" to the costs of the system to hold seats.

It also supports legislation to create a funding mechanism for MARTA

that ensures the state and all jurisdictions in the metro Atlanta area

share in the costs.

MARTA spokesman

Dee Baker said the transportation system has no problem with being a

regional system, but that decision is for the General Assembly.

"As

an elected official, we respect Kenn's comment, but the sales tax pays

a big part of our budget," she said.

Last year's

MARTA operating budget was $331 million. The sales tax contributed $149

million.

Both resolutions

will be forwarded to Gov. Roy Barnes, Lt. Gov. Mark Taylor, House Speaker

Tom Murphy, each member of the Fulton and DeKalb counties' legislative

delegations, the DeKalb County Commission, Atlanta City Council, Georgia

Regional Transportation Authority, Atlanta Regional Commission and the

MARTA Board.