The chief elected official of each of the 176 cities and towns in the district, or his or her designee.

• is a voting member. Each municipality has one vote plus fractions of votes equivalent to its weighted proportion of the deficit (Chapter 161A, Section 7A). As assessments change, so does the precise weight of each municipal vote.
• The staff researches issues requiring Advisory Board vote, provides analysis for Board committees, publishes reports for the Board, and coordinates meetings for the voting process. Under the guidance of the Finance Committee, staff provides a detailed analysis of all MBTA budget proposals preparatory to Advisory Board votes. The Board also has a line item transfer policy, which ensures consistent control of Authority expenditures in line with an approved budget. Working with the Board committees, staff monitor Authority expenditures, transfer of funds, and service delivery, enabling an analysis of trends and flagging of specific areas management might explore to further cost effectiveness and increase productivity.