Public transportation benefit area
A public transportation benefit area, abbreviated as PTBA, is a type of public-benefit corporation for public transit operators in the U.S. state of Washington.
Description
Public transportation benefit areas are defined by Revised Code of Washington Chapter 36.57A, and are described as special taxing districts created solely for the purpose of funding public transportation. Within Washington state, there are 31 systems that cover all or parts of 23 counties and serve 132 cities. The majority of transit systems in the state are operated by public transportation benefit areas, with the exception of King County Metro (a metropolitan county system) and Sound Transit (a regional transit authority) in the Seattle metropolitan area; as well as county transportation authorities in Columbia County and Grays Harbor County;[1] and city-owned systems in Everett, Pullman, and Yakima.[2][3][4]
PTBAs are granted the authority to impose a voter-authorized sales tax of up to 0.9 percent and motor vehicle excise tax of up to 0.4 percent within its boundaries. Community Transit, the PTBA of Snohomish County, was granted a sales tax limit of 1.2 percent in 2015 after exhausting the existing 0.9 percent.[5][6]:1 PTBAs with boundaries on the Puget Sound are also authorized to provide passenger ferry service in addition to traditional bus, paratransit and vanpool services.[3]
PTBAs are governed by a board of directors of not more than nine elected officials, supplemented by a union representative. In Thurston County, the board is allowed to have citizen members; in Mason County, elected officials on the board include representatives from school boards, fire districts, and hospital districts.[1]
A special type of PTBA for unincorporated areas within counties, called unincorporated transportation benefit areas.[7] As of 2013, only two UTBAs exist, in Garfield and Whitman counties.
Only two PTBAs serve more than one county: Ben Franklin Transit in Benton and Franklin counties; and Link Transit in Chelan and Douglas counties. These systems are allowed up to 15 members on their board of directors.[1]
History
On July 1, 1975, Governor Daniel J. Evans signed Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill No. 2280 into law, creating the PTBA.[8] The bill had been proposed by the Snohomish County Transportation Authority (SNO-TRAN), who would later use the legislation to establish the state's first PTBA, the Snohomish County Public Transportation Benefit Area Corporation, later renamed Community Transit, in November 1975.[9][10]
List of public transportation benefit areas
As of January 2015, Washington has 21 PTBAs and two unincorporated systems.[1]
Agency | Established[11] | Area | Population[12] | Jurisdiction | Sales tax rate[2] | Website |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Asotin County PTBA | 636 sq mi (1,647 km2) | 21,800 | Asotin County | 0.2% | ridethevalley | |
Ben Franklin Transit | May 11, 1981[13] | 618 sq mi (1,601 km2)[14] | 241,122 | Central Benton County and Pasco in Franklin County | 0.6% | bft |
C-Tran | November 4, 1980 | 627 sq mi (1,624 km2) | 368,073 | Clark County | 0.7% | c-tran |
Clallam Transit | July 24, 1979[15] | 1,753 sq mi (4,540 km2)[16] | 72,350 | Clallam County | 0.6% | clallamtransit |
Columbia County Public Transportation | 2005 | 869 sq mi (2,251 km2) | 4,100 | Columbia County | 0.4% | columbiaco |
Community Transit | June 1, 1976[17][18] | 1,308 sq mi (3,388 km2)[19] | 533,746 | Snohomish County (excluding Everett) | 0.9% | communitytransit |
Garfield County Public Transportation[lower-alpha 1] | 711 sq mi (1,841 km2) | 850 | Garfield County | None[lower-alpha 2] | co | |
Grant Transit Authority | November 1996[20] | 2,679 sq mi (6,939 km2) | 91,800 | Grant County | 0.2% | gta-ride |
Intercity Transit | September 16, 1980 | 97 sq mi (251 km2)[21] | 166,218 | Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater and Yelm in Thurston County | 0.8% | intercitytransit |
Island Transit | November 4, 1980 | 208 sq mi (539 km2) | 79,700 | Island County | 0.9% | islandtransit |
Jefferson Transit | November 4, 1980 | 1,803 sq mi (4,670 km2)[22] | 30,275 | Jefferson County | 0.9% | jeffersontransit |
Kitsap Transit | May 16, 1978 | 395 sq mi (1,023 km2) | 254,000 | Kitsap County | 0.8% | kitsaptransit |
Link Transit | November 21, 1989[23] | 3,500 sq mi (9,065 km2)[23] | 107,501 | Chelan and Douglas counties | 0.4% | linktransit |
Mason Transit Authority | November 15, 1991[24] | 968 sq mi (2,507 km2)[25] | 61,800 | Mason County | 0.6% | masontransit |
Pacific Transit System | November 6, 1979 | 933 sq mi (2,416 km2) | 21,000 | Pacific County | 0.3% | pacifictransit |
Pierce Transit | November 6, 1979 | 292 sq mi (756 km2)[26] | 531,746 | Central and northern Pierce County | 0.6% | piercetransit |
RiverCities Transit | 1987 | 27 sq mi (70 km2)[27] | 48,880 | Kelso and Longview in Cowlitz County | 0.3% | rctransit |
Skagit Transit | 1993[28] | 750 sq mi (1,942 km2)[28] | 103,628 | Northern and western Skagit County | 0.4% | skagittransit |
Spokane Transit Authority | May 10, 1981[29] | 248 sq mi (642 km2)[29] | 405,302 | Central Spokane County | 0.6% | spokanetransit |
TranGO | November 5, 2013[30] | 5,034 sq mi (13,038 km2)[31] | 41,120[31] | Okanogan County | 0.4%[32] | okanogantransit |
Twin Transit | November 2, 1976 | 13.1 sq mi (34 km2)[33] | 23,955 | Centralia and Chehalis in Lewis County | 0.2% | twintransit |
Valley Transit | March 18, 1980[34] | 50,600 | Southeastern Walla Walla County | 0.6% | valleytransit | |
Whatcom Transportation Authority | March 10, 1983[35] | 790 sq mi (2,046 km2)[36] | 205,618 | Western Whatcom County | 0.6% | ridewta |
Whitman Unincorporated Transportation Benefit Authority[lower-alpha 1] | Whitman County | None[lower-alpha 3] |
See also
- Public transportation in Washington (state)
- Sound Transit – regional transit authority of Seattle metropolitan area
- King County Metro – transit authority of Seattle and King County, governed under different laws
Notes
- 1 2 Garfield and Whitman counties are designated as unincorporated public transportation benefit areas (UPTBA) under RCW 36.57.100.
- ↑ Garfield County Public Transportation is funded by the county government and grants.[2]
- ↑ The Whitman Unincorporated Transportation Benefit Authority is funded by county fees, donations and grants.[2]
References
- 1 2 3 4 Joint Transportation Committee (January 2015). "Local/Regional Jurisdictions" (PDF). Washington State Transportation Resource Manual (PDF) (Report). Washington State Legislature. pp. 352–355. Retrieved July 14, 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 "Public Transportation Systems". Municipal Research and Services Center. October 2013. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
- 1 2 Passenger-Only Ferry Business Plan and Long Range Strategy: Summary Report (PDF) (Report). Kitsap Transit. December 2014. p. 4. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
- ↑ "Chapter 36.57A RCW: Public Transportation Benefit Areas". Revised Code of Washington. Washington State Legislature. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
- ↑ "RCW 82.14.045: Sales and use taxes for public transportation systems.". Revised Code of Washington. Washington State Legislature. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
- ↑ Public Transportation Division (December 2014). 2013 Summary of Public Transportation (PDF) (Report). Washington State Department of Transportation. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
- ↑ "RCW 36.57.110: Boundaries of unincorporated transportation benefit areas.". Revised Code of Washington. Washington State Legislature. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
- ↑ White, Richard O., ed. (July 1, 1975). "Chapter 270 (Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill No. 2280): Public Transportation". 1975 Session Laws of the State of Washington - 1st Extraordinary Session, Forty-Fourth Legislature (PDF). Session Laws of the State of Washington (1975 ed.). Olympia, Washington: Washington State Legislature. pp. 979–993. OCLC 42336168.
- ↑ Brooks, Diane (December 30, 1994). "Sno-Tran Has Met Goals, Calling It A Day -- Tomorrow Ends Decade Of Success For Transit Agency". The Seattle Times. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
- ↑ Public Transportation and Rail Division (September 1997). "Community Transit". Public Transportation Systems in Washington State, 1996 Summary (PDF) (Report). Washington State Department of Transportation. p. 27. Retrieved July 12, 2016 – via National Transportation Library.
- ↑ Planning, Research and Public Transportation Division (October 1984). "Local Transit". Public Transportation in Washington State, 1984 (PDF) (Report). Washington State Department of Transportation. pp. 19–20. OCLC 13007541. Retrieved July 12, 2016 – via National Transportation Library.
- ↑ Kimpel, Thomas (September 27, 2013). "2013 Public Transportation Benefit Area Population Estimates" (PDF). Washington State Office of Financial Management. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 3, 2014. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
- ↑ Woebler, Bob (May 20, 1980). "Tri-City voters approve mass transit system 2-1". Tri-City Herald. Kennewick, Washington: The McClatchy Company.
- ↑ "BFT History". Ben Franklin Transit. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
- ↑ "History". Clallam Transit. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
- ↑ "Facts/Ridership & Budget". Clallam Transit. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
- ↑ Lane, Bob (June 2, 1976). "Snohomish County bus system OK'd". The Seattle Times. p. A10.
- ↑ "Community Transit Marks 35th Anniversary" (Press release). Everett, Washington: Community Transit. October 3, 2011. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
- ↑ Heath, Emmett (May 27, 2014). 2013 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, Years Ending December 31, 2013 and December 31, 2012 (PDF) (Report). Community Transit. p. 109. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
- ↑ "History". Grant Transit Authority. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
- ↑ "30th Anniversary Survey Feedback Positive". Intercity Transit. 2011. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
- ↑ "Statistical Information". Jefferson Transit. February 2011. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
- 1 2 "About Link Transit". Link Transit. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
- ↑ "History of MTA". Mason Transit Authority. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
- ↑ LePage, Caroyln (December 31, 2008). Annual Report: Mason County Public Transportation Benefit Area Authority (MTA) (PDF) (Report). Mason County Transportation Authority. p. 3. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
- ↑ "About Us". Pierce Transit. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
- ↑ "Section 3: Service Characteristics". 2013 Annual Report and 2014-2019 Transit Development Plan (PDF) (Report). RiverCities Transit. August 13, 2014. p. 5. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
- 1 2 "Fact Sheet: Skagit Transit History and Demographics". Skagit Transit. 2011. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
- 1 2 "FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions): Overview of STA". Spokane Transit Authority. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
- ↑ "Okanogan County — Election results 2013". The Wenatchee World. November 5, 2013. Archived from the original on November 26, 2013. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
- 1 2 "Chapter 1: Introduction". Okanogan County Transit Authority 2013 Transit Service Plan (PDF) (Report). Okanogan County Transit Authority. March 11, 2013. p. 1. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
- ↑ Taxpayer Account Administration (January 29, 2014). "Okanogan County Transportation Tax, Effective April 1, 2014" (PDF). Washington State Department of Revenue. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
- ↑ "Section 3: Service Characteristics". 2013 Annual Report & Transit Development Plan 2014–2019 (PDF) (Report). Twin Transit. August 15, 2014. p. 6. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
- ↑ "History of Valley Transit". Valley Transit. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
- ↑ Whatcom County Council (March 10, 1983). "Whatcom County Council Minutes: Public Transportation Benefit Area (PTBA)" (PDF). Whatcom County. p. 2. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
- ↑ Whatcom Transportation Authority (April 12, 2007). "Request for Proposal for Insurance Broker/Consultant Services #2007-500" (PDF). Municipal Research and Services Center. p. 3. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
External links
- Legal definition: RCW 36.57A
- Public Transportation Systems in Washington at the Municipal Research and Services Center
- Washington Transit Links from the American Public Transportation Association