The public transportation benefit area shall have and exercise all rights with respect to the construction, acquisition, maintenance, operation, extension, alteration, repair, control and management of passenger transportation which any component city shall have been previously empowered to exercise and such powers shall not thereafter be exercised by such component cities without the consent of the public transportation benefit area: PROVIDED, That any city owning and operating a public transportation system on July 1, 1975 may continue to operate such system within such city until such system shall have been acquired by the public transportation benefit area and a public transportation benefit area may not acquire such system without the consent of the city council of such city.

Severability—Effective date—1975 1st ex.s. c 270: See notes following RCW 35.58.272.