The proposed state budget includes a provision that allows local governments to establish a dedicated transit tax.
Milwaukee County could receive the authority to create a regional transit agency if Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers’ budget proposal is approved, reports Graham Kilmer in Urban Milwaukee.
“The governor’s budget boosts — incentivizes, even — RTA creation by giving local governments the authority to establish a dedicated transit tax, something the Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) has never had,” Kilmer explains. “An RTA would have more independence, and greater control over its own finances, allowing it to plan long-term in ways that have proven difficult for MCTS.”
However, “Neither county transportation officials nor County Executive David Crowley‘s office have plans for establishing or even lobbying for an RTA, according to a spokesperson for the county.”
While some people see RTAs as a funding mechanism, Kilmer explains that regional transit planning can more effectively serve the needs of transit users who inevitably cross city and county lines for daily needs. “From the perspective of a transit rider, bus routes that stop at the county line make little sense.”
FULL STORY: Could Milwaukee Create a Regional Transit Authority?
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The decision is a victory for environmental groups who charged that freezing funds for critical infrastructure and disaster response programs caused “real and irreparable harm” to communities.
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