Detroit & the burbs coming together...over transit...WOW

[PaulieG63]

From Mlive:

DETROIT, MI -- A broad group of local government officials, business leaders and activists testified in Lansing today to try and spur lawmakers to create a regional transit authority.

A number of major mass transit proposals depend on the legislation, and officials from Wayne, Macomb, Oakland and Washtenaw counties spoke before the House Transportation Committee on the issue.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has said he won't sign off on federal funding for the Woodward Avenue Streetcar Project until such an authority is created to ensure long-term management.

Other potential mass transit projects including one that would run from Detroit to Pontiac are also awaiting the stalled legislation.

"The legislation really has the broad support of everyone in the region's local governments," said Joel Batterman, transportation programs coordinator for nonprofit group Michigan Suburbs Alliance, who was in Lansing for the hearing today.

He said that while some asked to tweaks to the legislation, the groups that addressed the committee had a unified message that establishing a regional authority is long overdue.

"Transit is essential to a prosperous region," Batterman said. "It's something that every successful region of the country and in the world has."

He said he hopes the testimony will translate into action in Sentate, but that's up to [[Republican leader Randy) Richardville to bring it to the floor."

John Hertel, general manager of the SMART transit system, told Michigan Radio that he's never seen the level of agreement between Detroit and its suburbs that was shown in Lansing today.

"I’ve never seen anything like this," he said. It’s wonderful to see. But while it’s there, we need to strike and move forward. This kind of thing obviously doesn’t come along very often."
Follow Khalil AlHajal on Twitter @DetroitKhalil or on Facebook at Khalil MLive. He can be reached at kalhajal@mlive.com or 313-643-0527.



Pinch me...

PaulieG

[dmike76]

This is a great step towards regionalism.

[Crumbled_pavement]

Yah. I'll see it when I believe it.

[bailey]

Yah. I'll see it when I believe it.

+1. Out state and exurban teabaggers hold the purse strings in the legislature. This is no closer to happening than it was 5 years ago.

[Detroitnerd]

+1. Out state and exurban teabaggers hold the purse strings in the legislature. This is no closer to happening than it was 5 years ago.

Exurbans, perhaps, but when only a region is taxed, it's difficult to argue that outstate forces can meddle overmuch.

[dmike76]

Well, I'm trying not to be cynical, but you're probably right, Pavement. I'll believe it when I see it.

[bailey]

Exurbans, perhaps, but when only a region is taxed, it's difficult to argue that outstate forces can meddle overmuch.

The laws that need to be enacted are only done so if the legislature takes them up... which again, is controlled by representatives from Teabagistan who are anti-tax and anti mass transit in all it's forms where ever they are located.

[Detroitnerd]

The laws that need to be enacted are only done so if the legislature takes them up... which again, is controlled by representatives from Teabagistan who are anti-tax and anti mass transit in all it's forms where ever they are located.

So if we want to set up a regional authority in metro Detroit to enact taxes only here and improve our quality of life, they will refuse to bring those measures to a vote because ... of a rigid ideological opposition to taxes across the board? That's not democracy. That's downright ridiculous.

Perhaps metro Detroit should secede from Michigan -- just temporarily. Say a trial separation of 10 years. I wonder just how well those roads would be maintained all over the state without the economic activity generated in these four counties ...

[Detroitnerd]

It's bad, but still better in a way. I'd rather have metro Detroit united and fighting outstate know-nothings than have the city and suburbs fighting it out as they used to.

[Hermod]

So if we want to set up a regional authority in metro Detroit to enact taxes only here and improve our quality of life, they will refuse to bring those measures to a vote because ... of a rigid ideological opposition to taxes across the board? That's not democracy. That's downright ridiculous.

It is democracy. The results of democracy depend on how you are "districted". If you have a group of citizens that wants something and they are part of a larger political entity in which the majority do not want that thing, it doesn't happen.

If, say New Hampshire were a part of Massachusetts, much of the political and fiscal uniqueness of New Hampshire would not exist.

To date, the only successful split of one state from another was the splitting of West Virginia from Virginia and I think we would agree that was a "special case".

For what it is worth, I think that when a metro area reaches a certain size, it should be allowed to petition Congress to be split off from the state where it is located. I don't think that Congress would go along with it since you would be taking a lot of barely blue states and creating a solid blue state and a solid red state from the splitting off of a metro area.

[Detroitnerd]

It is democracy. The results of democracy depend on how you are "districted". If you have a group of citizens that wants something and they are part of a larger political entity in which the majority do not want that thing, it doesn't happen.

I thought you only posted here to shout huzzahs for the free market and sprawl. Now you're going to lecture on democracy too? Zzzzzz ...

[313WX]

Yah. I'll see it when I believe it.

As always...

[Detroitnerd]

Sooooooperbus!

[Wesley Mouch]

If our leaders [[such as Snyder) continue to stand up for transit, they can make it happen. I'm glad to see persistence.

[Searay215]

If Detroit politicians can't control it, they'll want no part of it......its not going to happen.

[313WX]

If Detroit politicians can't control it, they'll want no part of it......its not going to happen.

As we saw with the Consent Agreement, Detroit doesn't have very much political clout in Lansing anymore since it has shrunken so much.

So if anyone holds this up, it'll be the far-right legislators from the exburbs and the west side of the state.

[bailey]

As we saw with the Consent Agreement, Detroit doesn't have very much political clout in Lansing anymore since it has shrunken so much.

So if anyone holds this up, it'll be the far-right legislators from the exburbs and the west side of the state.

There really is no "if" about it. Richardville runs the senate and there are no plans to bring it up.

[Scottathew]

The people want it! The directly affected suburban communities want it.

Let's go forward!

[Searay215]

Personally I would love it.....however as with Belle Isle, the city is not going to give up DDOT.....not without a fight. If we could only get rid of the Us vs Them mentality, Detroit could rise from the ashes. The question is will it ever happen? I hope so.....but I won't hold my breath. So sad!!!

[Hypestyles]

I was at the meeting held that evening at the Great Lakes Brewery on Woodward; sponsored by Mode Shift Detroit.. there was some encouraging commentary by the panelists.. among other items discussed, public-private partnerships were mentioned as likely being a centerpiece for development efforts in transit..

[Wesley Mouch]

Personally I would love it.....however as with Belle Isle, the city is not going to give up DDOT.....not without a fight. If we could only get rid of the Us vs Them mentality, Detroit could rise from the ashes. The question is will it ever happen? I hope so.....but I won't hold my breath. So sad!!!

You can't get rid of US vs. THEM until someone wins.

Right now, the city administration [[not US btw) sees itself as losing. It implores others to see their marginalization as a collective loss. Its not. In fact, its a collective success. Just not for those currently in power.

Government unfortunately, sees itself as a separate entity from voters. That's why the tea party wants to minimize government. Because its not just voter rolls, property records, police and fire -- but its a giant machine that consumes money, doles it out to its friends, and grows and grows. [[Pardon rant.)

[RO_Resident]

It is democracy. The results of democracy depend on how you are "districted". If you have a group of citizens that wants something and they are part of a larger political entity in which the majority do not want that thing, it doesn't happen.

If, say New Hampshire were a part of Massachusetts, much of the political and fiscal uniqueness of New Hampshire would not exist.

To date, the only successful split of one state from another was the splitting of West Virginia from Virginia and I think we would agree that was a "special case".

For what it is worth, I think that when a metro area reaches a certain size, it should be allowed to petition Congress to be split off from the state where it is located. I don't think that Congress would go along with it since you would be taking a lot of barely blue states and creating a solid blue state and a solid red state from the splitting off of a metro area.

What, no love for Maine that split from Massachusetts as part of the Missouri Compromise?

[stasu1213]

+1. Out state and exurban teabaggers hold the purse strings in the legislature. This is no closer to happening than it was 5 years ago.

Don't forget the corporations in this town who are probably paying off the legislators also to throw a monkey wrench in this plan