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?
Chicago Commute Times Could Double Without New Transit Funding
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Chicago Transit Report Calls for Income-Based Fares, Paratransit Funding
An RTA report highlights a need for state funding to bridge an imminent $730 budget shortfall, calling for an approach that relies less heavily on fare revenue.
California Lawmakers Push Transit Funding Bill
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Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
USGS Water Science Centers Targeted for Closure
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End Human Sacrifices to the Demanding Gods of Automobile Dependency and Sprawl
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Seattle Transit Asked to Clarify Pet Policy
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Oregon Bill Would End Bans on Manufactured Housing
The bill would prevent new developments from prohibiting mobile homes and modular housing.
Nashville Doesn’t Renew Bike Share Contract, Citing Lost Federal Funding
The city’s bike share system, operated by BCycle, could stop operating if the city doesn’t find a new source of funding.
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