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The new Regional Transit Authority has the ability to levy a half-cent sales tax to pay for all kinds of transit options that would also provide property tax relief. In fact, the RTA would probably start by taking over the Metro bus system and expanding it both within the city and out into the county. The sales tax would also give us the chance to try bus rapid transit, expand transit services for the elderly and disabled and create a network of park and ride lots. Commuter rail might also be part of the mix, but it's far from the sole focus.

[May 1, 2009] If boards are elected and if RTAs include specifically only transit systems (i.e., not road funding, about which murmurs have surfaced recently) and if comparable property tax dollars are removed from municipal budgets, I could (even enthusiastically) support a Fox Cities RTA. Lots of ifs.

[June 8, 2007] So here we’re going to create still another distinct taxing authority. Theoretically (but not required), your city taxes should decrease by the amount you have to pay into any new RTA. Ok, so let’s say, in the beginning (maybe just like that lover?), that tax switch is on the up-and-up. But then let’s say the state starts to see those new RTA’s as having the potential to support more of their own transit systems – and the state begins ever so slowly to withdraw funding support. 

[January 10, 2007] And here’s the rub. Creating a whole new taxing authority is one more big new way for taxes to be collected and spent. I suppose there’s a minute possibility creation of a RTA could be revenue-neutral, maybe even decrease the taxes per capita used to fund it. The truth is however, it may be hard to hold back a taxing entity with broad, new, regional taxing powers. Got to keep our eye on this over the next couple of years.

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