Bill > S2009

This bill establishes a new legal framework for local and regional transportation ballot initiatives that allows cities, towns, and districts to impose a surcharge on a single subject of taxation (such as sales, property, or vehicle excise taxes) to fund transportation projects, subject to voter approval. Under the proposed law, a city, town, or group of municipalities can create a transportation committee and establish a local and regional transportation fund to collect and manage the surcharge revenues. The ballot initiative must specify the type of tax being surcharged, the percentage of the surcharge, and include a sunset provision. The bill requires that the surcharge funds can only be used for transportation-related projects like public transit, roads, bridges, bikeways, and pedestrian pathways. Each participating municipality must create a transportation committee to study local transportation needs, develop project recommendations, and provide oversight of the fund. The state will establish a Massachusetts local and regional transportation trust fund to receive and distribute the surcharge revenues, with administrative costs limited to 5% of the annual total revenue. The bill provides detailed provisions for how municipalities can form districts, implement the surcharge, establish governance structures, and manage the transportation fund, with careful provisions to ensure transparency, voter input, and specific use of funds for transportation improvements.

Budget and Finance

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/S2009