Bills seek to change CATS governance

Bills filed by Rep. Regina Barrow, D-Baton Rouge, would change the appointment system for Capital Area Transit System board members and give the board exclusive authority over fares and routes. House Bill 629 would remove the Metro Council’s right to veto decisions made by the CATS board while also prohibiting the board from raising fares by more than 25% in any 12-month period. House Bill 865 would give the mayors of Baton Rouge, Baker and Zachary one appointment each on the nine-member board, but only if voters in their cities approve the April 21 transit tax proposal. The city-parish would appoint the rest of the board from a list of nominees provided by 11 different entities, including the Baton Rouge Area Chamber, Together Baton Rouge, the Center for Planning Excellence, AARP, the Louisiana Hospital Association, LSU, Southern University, Baton Rouge Community College, Arc of Baton Rouge, the Louisiana Bankers Association and Visit Baton Rouge. Preference is supposed to be given for nominees knowledgeable about business, resource allocation, planning, and public finance. The bill says, if possible, at least one member should have a degree in transportation, civil engineering, or urban planning, and at least one member should be a regular transit user. Governance changes were recommended by the Blue Ribbon Commission on East Baton Rouge Transit, and transit governance reform is part of BRAC’s legislative agenda for the upcoming session. CATS is a political subdivision of the state, which is why legislative approval is needed for the changes.