The board of chosen freeholders of any county and the governing body of any municipality within the county, may enter into an agreement for the purpose of providing funds to maintain or increase public transportation service for mass transit purposes, or for the purpose of providing funds to maintain railroad freight line services, on established or expanded routes within the county or municipality. No such agreement may be entered into unless the State of New Jersey, acting by and through the Department of Transportation, Commuter Operating Agency, or other appropriate agency, shall have agreed with the transportation company or railroad providing service, or with the county, for payments subsidizing such transportation or railroad freight line service in accordance with the provisions of this act. It shall be lawful for the board of chosen freeholders and for the governing body of a municipality to appropriate and raise funds annually for the aforesaid purposes in the same manner as appropriations are made for other county or municipal purposes.

L.1974, c. 73, s. 1, eff. July 30, 1974; L.1977, c. 411, s. 2, eff. Feb. 23, 1978.