AB 559

The 2009 Biennial Budget Act (

2009 Act 28

) authorized the creation of several

regional transit authorities (RTAs): the Dane County RTA, the Chippewa Valley

RTA, and the Chequamegon Bay RTA. Under

2009 Act 28

, each RTA, once created,

is a public body corporate and politic and a separate governmental entity. An RTA's

authority is vested in its board of directors, and its bylaws govern its management,

operations, and administration. Among its powers, an RTA may operate a

transportation system or provide for its operation by contracting with a public or

private organization; impose, by its board of directors adopting a resolution, a sales

and use tax in the RTA's jurisdictional area at a rate not exceeding 0.5 percent of the

gross receipts or sales price if certain conditions are satisfied; acquire property by

condemnation; and issue tax-exempt revenue bonds. An RTA has a duty to provide,

or contract for the provision of, transit service within the RTA's jurisdictional area.

Rates and other charges received by an RTA must be used only for the general

expenses and capital expenditures of the RTA, to pay interest, amortization, and

retirement charges on the RTA's revenue bonds, and for specific purposes of the RTA

and may not be transferred to any political subdivision.

The 2011 Biennial Budget Act (

2011 Act 32

) eliminated authorization to create

an RTA and dissolved the Dane County RTA, the Chippewa Valley RTA, and the

Chequamegon Bay RTA to the extent previously created.

This bill authorizes the creation of RTAs in urbanized areas with the same

powers and authority as provided RTAs under

2009 Act 28

. Under the bill, any two

or more municipalities or counties (political subdivisions) may join together to jointly

create an RTA if the governing body of each political subdivision adopts a resolution

authorizing the political subdivision to become a member of the RTA, each resolution

is ratified by the electors at a referendum held in the political subdivision, and the

resolutions of all of these political subdivisions are identical. However, Milwaukee

County may create an RTA if the Milwaukee County board adopts a resolution

authorizing the creation of the RTA and the resolution is ratified by the electors at

a referendum held in Milwaukee County. After an RTA is created, any political

subdivision may join the RTA if the governing body of the political subdivision adopts

a resolution identical to the existing RTA resolutions, the new political subdivision's

resolution is ratified by the electors at a referendum held in the political subdivision,