SENATE BILL REPORT

                                    HB 2938

                            AS OF FEBRUARY 25, 1992

Brief Description:  Revising governance of PTBAs.

SPONSORS: Representatives Prentice, R. Fisher, Wood and Day

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Staff:  Gene Baxstrom (786‑7303)

Hearing Dates: February 25, 1992

BACKGROUND:

Over the past 18 months, the Legislative Transportation Committee has conducted a comprehensive policy review of transit systems in the state.  The final study report made a number of recommendations aimed at improving the governance, financing, administration and planning of transit.

One of the recommendations related to two city transit systems which operate in areas where surrounding communities would like to establish a regional transit system.  In the past the cities of Everett and Yakima have declined to participate in regional systems.  As a result, in Snohomish County there are two separate systems--Everett Transit and Community Transit.  In Yakima, the city of Yakima operates a system only within the city and no service is available in other parts of the county.

SUMMARY:

A city operating a transit system, within a county which has a population over 150,000, within which comprehensive planning is required, and within which no public transportation benefit area (PTBA) exists, may not opt out of the process for formation of a PTBA without the consent of the county legislative authority if the population proposed to be included with the benefit area, not counting the population of the city operating the transit system, is greater than the population of the city.  A majority of those voting within the boundaries would be required for the PTBA to collect revenues and operate.

A combination of cities and the county, within a county with a population over 150,000 and within which comprehensive planning is required, may place before the voters a ballot proposition, to be voted on collectively by the electorate within the cities and counties (unincorporated area) and within a city operating a transit system, to annex the city into the PTBA.  This vote may be called for only if the population within the PTBA is greater than the population within the city which operates the transit system.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:  none

Fiscal Note:  available