Label
All Council Members
Title
Amending the ordinances previously passed which created the Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority (TARTA) by: (1) adding Lucas County as a member of TARTA; (2) eliminating TARTA's 2.5 mill property taxes and substituting a .5% sales and use tax and (3) allocating monies from the sales and use tax collected to TARTA to directly fund its operations and allocate monies from the sales and use tax collected to other local governmental entities for the installation, maintenance and improvement of mass transit related infrastructure; provided that such changes are contingent upon voter approval of the new TARTA funding system at the November 3, 2020 General Election; and declaring an emergency.
Body
WHEREAS, the Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority (TARTA) exists as a political subdivision under the laws of the State of Ohio and is operated in the following jurisdictions (Member Communities): the City of Toledo, the City of Maumee, the City of Sylvania, the City of Rossford, the Village of Ottawa Hills, the City of Waterville and the Township of Sylvania; and
WHEREAS, TARTA provides transit services within the areas of the Member Communities which are within portions of Lucas and Wood County; and
WHEREAS, TARTA currently derives funding from two ad valorem property taxes (one 1.0 mill levy and one 1.5 mill levy) for a total of 2.5 mills paid by the property owners within the area of TARTA; and
WHEREAS, several other Regional Transit Authorities in Ohio utilize a sales and use tax to fund operations, which funding system is viewed as a preferable method of funding because it is paid by nonresidents as well as residents; and
WHEREAS, a sales and use tax funding system requires the addition of Lucas County as one of TARTA's Member Communities; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees of TARTA has approved pursuing changes to TARTA's organizational and funding system which would: (1) expand mass transit service throughout L...
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