Barrett
opposes plan to reduce RTA votes needed
"Super
majority" requirement was key to city
March
6 -- Mayor Tom Barrett opposes a proposal to reduce
the number of votes needed for the new Regional Transit
Authority to take action.
Also
on this page:
Milwaukee
shorted
on RTA representation. |
The
legislation,
proposed by State Rep. Jeff Stone (R-Greendale) and State
Sen. Cathy Stepp (R- Sturtevant) would reduce the number
of RTA votes needed for action from six to five.
Stone
and Stepp introduced the bill after officials said the current
RTA structure makes it illegal for even two RTA members
to meet and discuss RTA business.
"We
are not in favor of Stone's bill as drafted," said
Patrick Curley, Barrett's chief of staff. "If they
need to solve their minority quorum problem, another Milwaukee
seat should be added."
The
RTA includes Kenosha, Milwaukee, and Racine Counties. The
RTA board includes one representative from each of the three
counties, one representative from each of the three largest
cities in the counties, and one Milwaukee representative
appointed by the governor.
The
proposed change would dilute the city's representation on
the board and potentially prevent it from blocking proposals
officials view as detrimental to the city.
Stiffed:
Milwaukee short on representation on proposed Regional Transportation
Authority
June
13, 2005 -- Residents
of the city and county of Milwaukee would be significantly
underrepresented on a new Regional Transportation Authority
endorsed by the Legislature's Joint Finance Committee.
The
RTA would include Milwaukee, Racine, and Kenosha Counties,
and would have the authority to impose a $2 tax on car rentals
to support transit programs, including the Metra Commuter
rail extension from Kenosha to Milwaukee, according to state
budget proposal endorsed by the Republican-controlled JFC.
While
the city of Milwaukee and Milwaukee County have the largest
populations and would contribute most of the financing to
the RTA, Kenosha and Racine would have the same number of
votes on the RTA governing body.
County
Supervisor Lynne DeBruin, who represents Story Hill on the
County Board, laughed when she heard about the proposed
make-up.
All
of the Joint Finance Committee decisions will be considered
by the Legislature before being presented to Gov. Doyle,
who has broad budgetary veto powers.
"A
representative body is supposed to be representative of
the population and the need for service," she said.
Milwaukee representation should be "significantly more
than Racine or Kenosha."
The
county operations the Milwaukee County Transit System, the
biggest mass transit system in the state.
The
RTA is the brainchild of State Rep. Jeff Stone (R-Greendale).
Stone:
disenfranchises constituents
The
RTA could eventually operate all mass transit systems in
the three-county area, according to the budget proposal
endorsed by the JFC.
The
RTA board would include one representative from each of
the three counties, one representative from each of the
three largest cities in the counties, and one representative
appointed by the governor.
That
means that Kenosha County, with a population of 156,209,
and Racine County, with 192,284 residents, would have the
same voice on the RTA as Milwaukee County, which has a population
of 933,221.
The
city of Milwaukee, with a population of 596,974, would have
the same representation as Racine, population 81,855; and
Kenosha, population 90,352.
Under
the proposed RTA structure, six votes in favor of any action
would be needed to approve it.
The
RTA also would:
- coordinate
all transit and commuter rail programs in the region;
- propose
a specific regional funding source to provide local funding
for the portion of operating and capital costs of commuter
rail and public transit that are not covered by passenger
fares;
- develop
a plan for distributing the funding from that source;
- recommend
whether it should take over operation of local transit services.
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