With surburban traffic congestion AND the fact that a lot of the suburban systems are going to be running out of their Federal Startup funds soon (2008ish) and going to the state for funding; you have to think there's going to be a major shift in mass transit funding/structure. There just has to be. And it would hopefully include state funding -- then everyone will want to get on the bandwagon and get those state dollars.
It's good to see leaders in Gwinett and Cobb realizing that they have to start looking at transit issues again.
I actually think the racial elements have been mitigated some. Especially in Gwinett, they now have large immigrant and minority populations themselves, they're no longer really a white-flight bedroom community. With the intown housing boom AND minorities and immigrants moving out to the suburbs, it's not as clear cut an issue, both intown and suburbs are more diverse.
Plus with some of the big large scale developments going up, it seems that the density will eventually be there to support MARTA, and I'm a big believe in getting transit in place before you actually need it, instead of having to play catchup and paying out the nose for land and logistic issues. Also, with watch for tightening opposition and zoning issues that will also lead to surburban counties designating higher density around the stations (like Atlanta has).
I was under the impression though that one thing that killed the Gwinnett vote before, was that people in South Gwinnett didn't want to pay the extra penny sales tax for a system they thought would basically just serve N. Gwinett. There was talk before that if Gwinnet paid the extra penny, they would want a MARTA extension up I-85 as well as an extension of the East line.