Statutory Responsibilities

The RTA legislation is set forth in Section 59.58(6) of State Statutes. In summary, the RTA has the following responsibilities:

• Provide the following recommendations to the State Legislature and Governor:
  
  
  • A proposal that specifically identifies a permanent regional funding source to provide local funds for the portion of operating and capital costs of commuter rail and public transit that are not covered by passenger fares and that considers all potential funding sources.
  • A recommendation as to whether the responsibilities of the authority should be limited to collection and distribution of regional transit funding or should also include operation of transit service.
  • A plan for the distribution among the mass transit operators in the region of any permanent regional funding specified.
  • A plan to improve the coordination of expanded mass transit, commuter rail, and passenger rail in the region.
  • A recommendation on the use of bonding for commuter rail and public transit in the region, and the role of the authority in such bonding.
  • A recommendation on whether the authority should continue in existence after September 30, 2009.
  These recommendations are to be documented in a report provided by November 15, 2008, to the State Legislature and Governor, which would also summarize all activities of the RTA.
• The RTA shall also receive periodic reports from local governments conducting commuter rail project planning or engineering with State funds in Kenosha, Milwaukee, and/or Racine Counties. On behalf of an Intergovernmental Partnership of the Cities and Counties of Kenosha, Milwaukee, and Racine, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, and the Regional Planning Commission; the Regional Planning Commission is presently conducting -- with State funds -- a study of commuter rail extending between Kenosha, Racine, and Milwaukee and connecting to Chicago-based Metra commuter rail, including preparation of an environmental impact statement.