05 LC 34
0334S
The
House Committee on Transportation offers the following substitute to HR
254:
A
RESOLUTION
Requesting
that before final implementation of the Lovejoy to Atlanta commuter rail service
all the county and municipal governments receiving service shall execute a local
project agreement with the Georgia Department of Transportation to fund the
operating assistance necessary for the continuing operation of the service; and
for other purposes.
WHEREAS,
the Georgia Department of Transportation has been in the process of negotiating
an agreement with Norfolk Southern Railroad for implementation of a Lovejoy to
Atlanta commuter rail project; and
WHEREAS,
the Georgia Department of Transportation plans to spend $106 million of federal
and state transportation dollars on this project; and
WHEREAS,
the county and municipal governments directly served by the line have provided
written confirmation to the Georgia Department of Transportation that they will
pay future operating subsidies for the line; and
WHEREAS,
the Georgia Department of
Transportatiońs
cost estimates indicate that approximately $4 million in additional annual
operating subsidies will be required after the initial three-year start up
period; and
WHEREAS,
if the county and municipal governments along the line do not provide the
necessary operating subsidies, the State of Georgia may be obligated to repay
the federal government for the capital funds expended for the
project.
NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA that it is the
sense of this body that the Georgia Department of Transportation and the Georgia
Passenger Rail Authority should not proceed to final implementation of the
Lovejoy to Atlanta commuter rail project without executing a local project
agreement with the local county and municipal governments receiving service from
the project to fund the operating assistance needed for the period of time
necessary to satisfy the federal investment of funds in accordance with Federal
Transit Circular 5010.1C Chapter 4 Section 1F.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Georgia Department of Transportation will consult
with and provide any information requested by the Office of Planning and Budget
and the Legislative Budget Office concerning the capital costs, operating costs,
operating revenues, and operating assistance for the proposed
project.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Georgia Department of Transportation in
consultation with the county and municipal governments receiving service as a
result of the Lovejoy to Atlanta commuter rail project shall agree on a sharing
of the required operating assistance as part of the local project agreement.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives shall deliver
a copy of this resolution to the appropriate official of the county and
municipal governments along the line of the proposed project; the commissioner
of the Georgia Department of Transportation; the Office of Planning and Budget;
and the Legislative Budget Office.