Label
Council Member Melden
Title
A Resolution asserting Toledo City Council's support of language in House Bill 74 that would allow for majority consent of the Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority member jurisdictions to allow Lucas County to join the system, which will help to sustain the future success of public transportation in the Toledo region; and declaring an emergency.
Summary
WHEREAS, a strong Toledo depends on the availability of public transit to help individuals in getting to work, school, and other activities; and
WHEREAS, our current transit system is inadequately funded due to its piecemeal organizational structure whereby certain communities such as Toledo are members of the transit system, but neighboring suburban communities have refused to join; and
WHEREAS, current state law requires unanimous consent of members jurisdictions in order to add new members; and
WHEREAS, Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority ("TARTA") has attempted four times since 2010 to obtain consent from its seven-member jurisdictions to add Lucas County as a member of TARTA; most recently, a 2020 attempt to add Lucas County failed after obtaining 6 of the 7 required municipal approvals; and
WHEREAS, a previous version of HB 74 included language that would revise the Ohio Revised Code to allow for a majority consent of TARTA member jurisdictions to allow Lucas County to join TARTA; that language has been removed in the current version; and
WHEREAS, Toledo City Council strongly urges the General Assembly to add that language back into HB 74 when it comes for final approval; NOW, THEREFORE,
Be it resolved by the Council of the City of Toledo:
SECTION 1. That the Toledo City Council strongly urges the General Assembly to include the language that allows for majority consent of the Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority member jurisdictions to allow Lucas County to join the system in the final version of HB 74 an...
Click here for full text