S.20.1-16: Affordable Transit Act (ATA) [Statute]

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Affordable Transit Act (ATA)

Section 1: Background

i. The title shall be the "Affordable Transit Act"
ii. Many Southerners are not able to access services from rural areas
iii. The intended purpose of this act is to address these needs

Section 2: Provisions

i. This act shall establish transportation stations to connect rural and urban areas across the South
ii. These stations are intended to provide for the transportation needs of our citizens
iii. The stations shall provide for urban expansion of travel routes to rural areas
iv. These transportation stations shall provide opportunities for travel, workforce employment, and commercial and industries activities
v. These stations must be maintained as they will become subject to deterioration
vi. The fee to use transit shall be maintained at an affordable price

Section 3: Prohibitions and Guidelines

i. The region may not sell contracts to outside entities where it has sole authority to regulate
ii. The region must uphold the integrity of the transit hubs to ensure integrity, safety and compliance of the stations
ii. A lease to another state agency must not exceed ten years
iii. In the case of any sale of the leasehold interest in the project, the terms of the sale shall provide for the repurchase of the leasehold property by the authority at its option,
iv. In an event that the purchaser, desires to sell the property within ten years; The authority shall establish at the time of original sale a formula setting forth a basis for a repurchase price based on market considerations including but not limited to interest rates, land values, construction costs, and federal tax laws.

Sponsor: Spark498

[PragmaticPopulist]

I would support this legislation as it is currently written.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

I would support this legislation as it is currently written.

[GM Team Member and Senator WB]

Big support from me, we need public transit badly.

[Senator-elect Spark]

Motion for a vote.

[PragmaticPopulist]

Motion for a vote.

Motion seconded.

[PragmaticPopulist]

Final vote. 48 hours.

[Senator-elect Spark]

Final vote. 48 hours.

Aye enthusiastically.

[PragmaticPopulist]

Aye.

[GM Team Member and Senator WB]

aye

[reagente]

nay

[PragmaticPopulist]

Voting closed.

3 ayes, 1 nay. Bill passes.

[West_Midlander]

Voting closed.

3 ayes, 1 nay. Bill passes.

X West_Midlander

I am concerned about the potential cost but transportation was a major tenant of my campaign. As Delegate WB said, this is an area where the Southern region is in dire need of improvement, so I have decided to support this legislation. If need be, cuts can be made in other areas to assure we have a balanced budget (once the cost of this legislation and the legislation passed in the past year is accounted for). (Do note, I have reached out to Comptroller General Clyde over the matter of calculations for the Southern budget).

As a native and longtime resident of the rural South, I support measures to improve my community and areas (rural ones) like it across our great region. I began my campaign for the Chamber of Delegates in fact (last year) with a defense of rural Atlasia, stating that we should not leave rural Atlasia (at-large) nor the rural South behind.