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RTA Legislation Crafted with Three Principles

RTA Legislation Crafted with Three Principles. Keep it simple Provide maximum local flexibility Utilize existing law whenever possible. KEY DEFINITION Regional Transportation System:.

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RTA Legislation Crafted with Three Principles

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  1. RTA Legislation Crafted with Three Principles Keep it simple Provide maximum local flexibility Utilize existing law whenever possible

  2. KEY DEFINITIONRegional Transportation System: “Means all land, shops, structures, equipment, property, franchises and rights of whatever nature required for the transportation of passengers or freight within the boundaries of, and under the jurisdiction of, the Regional Transportation Authority and includes but is not limited to, surface rail, elevated railroads, subways, underground railroads, motor vehicles, motor buses and any combination thereof, and any other form of mass transportation.”

  3. Creating a RTADecisions Left to Local Governments • Governance • Powers, duties and limitation of the Authority • Method of financing both the formation and operation • Boundaries of the RTA

  4. A Regional Transportation Authority Can Consist of a Single Municipality(defined as a city, county or village) or any combination of municipalities

  5. How to Create a Regional Transportation Authority Pass an authorizing resolution that spells out: • Governance • Powers of Duties • Financing of Formation & Operations

  6. Options for Approving Authorizing Resolution • Majority vote of local legislative body • Two-thirds vote of legislative body • Referendum

  7. Powers of the RTA • Impose a sales tax of up to half a cent • Issue revenue bonds • Contract with existing transportation systems for the operation of those systems(much of this language is drawn from current law) • Coordinate specialized transportation services

  8. Obligations to employees of transit systems acquired by an authority: “An authority acquiring, constructing, controlling or operating a transportation system shall negotiate an agreement protecting the interests of employees affected…” “preserve existing rights under an existing collective bargaining agreement or other agreement” (existing statute)

  9. Provisions for Release in Membership in the Authority • Must be accepted by a majority of members in the RTA • Financial obligations must be met

  10. The Road Ahead • Legislative Approval – No Easy Task • Need Must be Based on Primarily Three Arguments: 1. Insufficient Property Tax 2. Economic Development 3. Environmental Benefits

  11. REASON I:Property tax revenue is notsufficient to meet current and future needs - critical in the Fox Cities urban area

  12. Once the adjusted urbanized area reaches a population of 200,000 Valley Transit will be losing a large portion of federal operating funds

  13. Legislators need to know this and they need to hear it from you through a coalition representing all stakeholders, including Green Bay

  14. Property Tax Revenue Replacement Key Questions: Can revenue generated by a sales tax of up to one-half cent be used to replace property tax revenues now used to fund transportation?

  15. How much of your local levy is now used to finance public transportation?

  16. Southeast Wisconsin Regional Transit Authority “The plight of the Milwaukee Transit System, and to a lesser extent, its Racine and Kenosha counterparts, as competition for limited property tax revenue continues a cycle of fare increases and service cuts. Some public officials, riders and bus drivers have pressed for a dedicated revenue source to protect the buses that tens of thousands of people ride to work and school every day.” Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

  17. The Southeast Wisconsin RTA calculated the property tax savings by imposing a bus tax and a rail tax…can you demonstrate that a sales tax dedicated to transit will reduce property taxes?

  18. Reason II:Economic DevelopmentBenefits of KRM Commuter Rail

  19. Station area land development and redevelopment – estimation of potential land development and redevelopment around rail stations, and additional employment, property tax and sales tax - Minneapolis

  20. Improved access to jobs and labor force – connection of population and jobs

  21. Key QuestionCan you make the case that a unified transportation system stretching from Green Bay to Oshkosh will provide economic development benefits?

  22. Reason III:Environmental BenefitsCan you Demonstrate: • A reduction in automobile use? • A reduction in emissions? • Increased safety of travel? • Increased reliability?

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