. ▁determine ▁the ▁rate ▁of ▁and ▁place ▁on ▁the ▁ball ot ▁a ▁vehicle ▁registration ▁tax ▁for ▁the ▁fund ing ▁of ▁trans it ▁services ▁and ▁operations . ▁determine ▁to ▁ac quire ▁existing ▁street ▁rail ways ▁and ▁ac quire , ▁construct ▁or ▁operate ▁planned ▁comm uter ▁rail ▁services ▁in ▁the ▁region . ▁ ▁The ▁board ▁is ▁granted ▁the ▁authority ▁with ▁un anim ous ▁consent ▁the ▁powers ▁to : ▁ ▁determine ▁to ▁ac quire ▁a ▁public ▁trans it ▁provider ▁in ▁the ▁region . ▁place ▁on ▁the ▁ball ot ▁a ▁question ▁of ▁assuming ▁li ability ▁or ▁pay ing ▁legacy ▁costs ▁of ▁an ▁acquired ▁public ▁transport ation ▁provider . ▁ ▁History ▁The ▁R TA ▁has ▁its ▁beg inn ings ▁in ▁the ▁Metropolitan ▁Transport ation ▁Author ities ▁Act ▁of ▁ 1 9 6 7 ▁( Public ▁Act ▁ 2 0 4 ). ▁ ▁A ▁provision ▁of ▁the ▁act ▁specifically ▁created ▁the ▁S out he astern ▁Michigan ▁Transport ation ▁Author ity ▁( SE M TA ), ▁but ▁provided ▁the ▁authority ▁with ▁no ▁additional ▁means ▁to ▁le vy ▁tax es ▁or ▁fe es ▁to ▁fund ▁the ▁operations ▁for ▁the ▁trans it ▁prov iders ▁it ▁had ▁acquired . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 4 , ▁facing ▁a ▁loss ▁of ▁fund ing ▁from ▁SE M TA ▁and ▁wanting ▁more ▁control ▁of ▁its ▁trans it ▁affairs , ▁Detroit ' s ▁Department ▁of ▁Street ▁Rail ways ▁( DS R ) ▁rest ruct ured ▁itself ▁as ▁the ▁Detroit ▁Department ▁of ▁Transport ation ▁( DD OT ). ▁ ▁On ▁December ▁ 7 , ▁ 1 9