Atlanta and MARTA settle More MARTA dispute for $52 million

Atlanta and MARTA have reached a $52 million settlement over disputed More MARTA sales-tax proceeds tied to enhanced bus service, resolving the accounting fight while leaving future project decisions open.

The agreement was announced August 27, 2026, by the City of Atlanta and MARTA. It provides a full and final resolution of disputed amounts connected to the City of Atlanta’s 2023 audit of the More MARTA program.

How the settlement will be paid

MARTA previously transferred $19.37 million from its reserve account to the More MARTA Atlanta Reserve Account. Under the settlement, MARTA will transfer the remaining $32.63 million to that account in monthly installments due no later than August 31, 2028.

The More MARTA Atlanta Reserve Account is administered by MARTA for the city’s program. The settlement announcement says the funds will be available to support future More MARTA projects and other priorities, but it does not assign the money to a specific project.

What the dispute was about

The dispute concerned More MARTA sales-tax proceeds allocated for enhanced bus service and followed the City of Atlanta’s 2023 audit of the program.

Independent reporting described sharply different calculations during the dispute. The City’s auditors said MARTA owed about $70 million, while MARTA and its auditor calculated approximately $865,000. Those figures were competing positions in the accounting dispute, not amounts established as owed by a final finding before the settlement.

The agreement ends the dispute without requiring the parties to continue litigating or resolving the competing calculations through another proceeding.

Why the money matters in Atlanta

More MARTA was created after Atlanta voters approved a half-penny sales tax in 2016 for transit expansion and improvements within the city. The program is intended to fund transportation investments approved through the city’s agreement with MARTA.

For residents, commuters and taxpayers, the practical effect is that up to $52 million in disputed More MARTA funds will be resolved through the settlement, with $32.63 million still scheduled for transfer over time. The money could support later transit priorities, but officials have not yet identified which capital projects will receive it.

The settlement itself does not announce a new bus route, rail project, fare change or immediate expansion of service. Those decisions would require separate City and MARTA planning, budget and project actions.

What to watch next

The immediate financial milestone is the monthly transfer schedule, which runs no later than August 31, 2028. The more consequential decision will be how Atlanta and MARTA prioritize and authorize the future use of the reserve funds.

Residents who want to track the money should watch future More MARTA plans, city budget materials, MARTA board actions and project announcements. Those records should show when the funds are assigned to specific capital priorities or other eligible transit improvements.

Sources

• City of Atlanta settlement release
• MARTA settlement announcement
• The Atlanta Journal-Constitution settlement report

Look for updates to this story

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