The Macomb County Question

[ABetterDetroit]

WALLY failed because it seemed like no one truly cared about the project. Yes there was some talk about it, a page on SEMCOG's website, but for the most part there was no traction probably because there was no true funding source. I've never heard of a private service being talked about in the WALLY plan. And if it's anything like pre-Amtrak trains, it's going to end up be public anyways.

The RTA is completely different because there was to be a funding source, there was a master plan, and the RTA itself was the authority, and all we had to was approve it. WALLY had no funding source, it hasn't been planned very well, and AATA wanted Livingston County to join in creating WALLY but they said no.

And you're right, you do want to be part of a region. So let the RTA scrap all Macomb County routes and move on without them.

This is a rock solid plan, make a villain out of the regions that will not support the tax vehicle then go forward without them!

Lets call it "opt out". Clearly no other geographic locale will feel this way so let's do it all over with each community deciding if they want in.

Pay no mind that the decades long problem just skipped right back to where it's been firmly stuck long ago and then failed to solve the issue.

The most important part is to NEVER fight for a tax vehicle that could gain wider support and potentially raise even more of the needed funds.