By Mr. LeDuc of Marlborough, petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 3553) of Stephen P. LeDuc for legislation to regulate the establishment of regional transit authorities by cities and towns.  Transportation.

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PETITION OF:

 

Stephen P. LeDuc

 

 

 

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In the Year Two Thousand and Seven.

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 An Act insuring the opportunity of communities to join or create a Regional Transit Authority.

 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

 

    SECTION 1. The first paragraph of section 9 of chapter 161A of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2000 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out the sixth sentence and inserting in place thereof the following 2 sentences:—
A city or town that is also a member of a regional transit authority or that at any time joins a regional transit authority shall have a portion of the amount assessed for the operation of the regional transit authority credited against its share of the assessment made under this section. The community’s assessment shall be reduced by deducting any amount not required to cover the annual costs which are incurred by the authority for the proportional level of services operated in the community by the authority as determined by the advisory board to the authority. For purposes of this section “annual costs” are those costs which are funded by the assessments made under this section. The amount credited shall not exceed the total amount of the assessment.

SECTION 2. Section 3 of chapter 161B of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out the third paragraph and inserting in place thereof the following paragraph:—
Any city or town, or group or combination of cities or towns, other than a city or town included in the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority in which said Authority operated fixed route bus service or included in an authority established pursuant to section fourteen may, by a majority vote of the city council or of the town meeting or majority vote of any other legislative body, respectively, and subject to the approval of the advisory board to a regional transit authority, join an authority which is not separated from the city or town or group or combination of cities and towns by more than 1 other municipality.