§ 73-h. Operating aid. 1. For those rural counties having an approved
and implemented coordinated public transportation service plan which has
maintained existing levels of funding used for transportation by the
coordinated service and has documented the need for additional operating
aid, the commissioner may, in consultation with the interagency
coordinating committee on rural public transportation, grant up to
twenty-five thousand dollars per year for operating aid for up to five
successive years, subject to annual appropriations to be included in the
state budget. Such aid may be extended annually when the county or
operator of the coordinated public transportation service has adequately
demonstrated the need for such continued aid and that criteria for
continuing aid established by rules issued by the commissioner have been
met.

2. No such operating aid shall be paid to any rural county unless such
county appropriates and expends at least twenty percent of the
coordinated public transportation service's total annual administrative
and operating costs. Except for other public transportation monies paid
by the department to the county, such amount may include any county
funds used for operating aid, including funds used to support any other
transportation service, that have been appropriated to an account under
the management and control of the coordinated public transportation
service.