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Today, the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) will vote on a proposal to reallocate $25 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act dollars to the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA).

The funds would enable the authority to address a large FY2010 budget shortfall and prevent drastic service cuts. In turn, MARTA would reallocate $25 million of its capital dollars to fund eligible transit-related projects.

The ARC's Transportation and Air Quality Committee proposed the funding swap after the Georgia legislature failed to pass legislation providing transportation funding and permitting MARTA to access $65 million in its capital reserve fund to help address the agency's operating deficit.

The funding transfer also would need to be approved by the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority board and signed by the governor.

MARTA officials plan to unveil their proposed FY2010 budget to the agency's board tomorrow.