AB 922

This bill authorizes the creation of a regional transit authority (RTA) in

southeastern Wisconsin.

The 2009 Biennial Budget Act (

2009 Act 28

) authorized the creation of several

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 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 a Southeast RTA, with the same powers and

authority as provided to RTAs under

2009 Act 28

. Under the bill, the counties of

Kenosha, Racine, and Milwaukee may join together to jointly create the Southeast

RTA if the governing body of each county adopts a resolution authorizing the county

to become a member of the RTA, each resolution is ratified by the electors at a

referendum held in the county, and the resolutions of all of these counties are

identical. Resolutions creating the Southeast RTA must include provisions

specifying the number and composition of the RTA's board of directors. The

jurisdictional area of the RTA is the geographic area formed by the combined

territorial boundaries of the counties of Kenosha, Racine, and Milwaukee.

This bill recreates the provisions of

2009 Act 28