The current funding method

in the aforementioned code dictates that all metro counties within the

ARC (including Fayette County) that do not have the city of Atlanta within

its boundaries must pay 80 cents per capita. Atlanta must pay 48 cents

per capita and the counties with Atlanta in their boundaries pay 32 cents

per capita. Payments based upon this formulation are made annually.

The ARC is asserting that they

have been "without an increase in local dues since 1990" (Resolution

the fact remains that the ARC's funding has increased as the population

of the metro counties has ballooned. The ARC hands out small allotments

for design initiative projects but the funding for major projects come

from the state, GDOT, counties and municipalities. In other words, the

ARC over the past decades has taken on mainly an administrative role rather

than one of contributing financially to the actual projects.

ARC's recommended amendment

to OCGA 50-8-101 asks "the General Assembly to increase dues by $0.20

per capita effective Jan. 1, 2002. In addition, it is recommended that

the amendment include a provision for a stepped increase in future dues

based upon increases in the Consumer Price Index." This recommendation

gives the ARC the sole authority to increase dues (year 2003 and beyond)

without the approval of the Georgia General Assembly and it creates another

source of taxation in our state.

This proposition distresses

me for several reasons. First, permitting more entities to tax the citizens

means the less chance we have of actually decreasing our taxes in the

future. Second, what major benefits has the ARC provided to merit assigning

them more funding?

Upon stepping down after 27

years as the ARC chief, Harry West said, "We have all these groups

going in different directions. If we're going to accomplish anything,

it's time to put our personal preferences aside and do what benefits the

majority [of the metro counties]" (AJC, March 31, 2000). Mr. West

also lectured the 39-member ARC board, "telling them if they cannot

put the best interests of the region above those of their individual counties,

'maybe you need to move out of the way and let somebody else do it.'"

Should destructive infighting be rewarded with a fee increase?

At the Jan. 25 Fayette County

Commission meeting (open agenda section), the commissioners expressed

their disapproval of the ARC increases. One commissioner stated that the

dues should be lowered by 10 cents annually instead of calling for an

increase. The consensus opinion amongst the commissioners is that we are

getting very little bang for the buck with the ARC. Unfortunately, Peachtree

City's mayor supports the dues increase (Mayor Bob Lenox represents the

citizens of Peachtree City, Fayetteville and Tyrone at the ARC).

Third, we are paying for duplicate

services. The Georgia Regional Transportation Authority (GRTA) has usurped

most of the ARC's control. The ARC examines most road projects and other

issues that are regional in nature. However, the final approval now has

to be passed on to GRTA. I do not have a real appreciation for either

organization because they fail to achieve any significant gains in quality

of life for the citizens of the metro area. Moreover, I have a problem

paying for the lackluster results TWICE.

Only recently has the ARC allowed

public comment prior to approving various projects for the metro area.

Only recently have they begun addressing quality of life issues and offering

educational programs for citizens and government officials to bring about

improvements.

Public comment and education

are nice additions. However, I believe that if our federal highway funds

had not been withheld that ARC may not have implemented these niceties

and the metro quality of life would have continued to diminish at a rapid

pace. The ARC has been a developmental good old boys club and Wayne Hill,

Gwinnett County Commission chairman, has lead the ARC for far too long.

I strongly urge you to ask

your Fayette ARC representatives to withdraw their support for continual

dues increases Mayor Bob Lenox, [email protected] and County Commission

Chairman Greg Dunn at 770-460-9596.

This amendment is now before

the General Assembly. Please also contact our state representatives Kathy

Cox at 404-656-0314 and Lynn Westmoreland at 770-487-2890, along with

our state senators Mitch Seabaugh at 770-304-0652 and Greg Hecht at 770-463-8054

and tell them to vote against such unwarranted funding increases.

On another subject, congratulations

go TDK's Bill Nutt, Bobby Wilkerson and the rest of the environmental

staff for being selected as one of few companies in the Southeast for

the EPA's National Environmental Achievement Track program.

They have a tremendous amount

of responsibility for protecting the health and safety of TDK's employees

and the citizens of Peachtree City.

Both Mr. Nutt and Mr. Wilkerson

are active participants with Fayette County's Local Emergency Planning

Committee (LEPC). After getting to know Bill Nutt for the past several

years through the LEPC, I can tell you that he is one of the most conscientious

persons in his field. His devotion to his duties at TDK and to the LEPC

makes Fayette County a very safe place to reside.

Steve Brown

Peachtree City

[email protected]