Regional Transit Authority: I've seen the enemy, and it is us.

[corktownyuppie]

To add insult to injury, getting the RTA approved would save the city some of the $60MM a year from its budget which is currently being used to subsidize DDOT. That's money that could go toward more cops, firefighters...even toward Belle Isle. So who's in the way? Is it L. Brooks Patterson? The Tea Party? The Mayor of Troy? Detroit City Council?!!

None of the above.

http://www.freep.com/article/2012102...xt|FRONTPAGE|p

It's politics. And race. And time-worn squabbles over power and control. Some legislators are concerned about how many appointees Gov. Rick Snyder will get on the transit authority board. Some are worried they'll look "weak" to Detroiters if they willingly cede control of the city's transportation infrastructure -- as if preserving control of a costly and dysfunctional bus system were a sign of strength...

Unfortunately, this no-show behavior tends to confirm outsiders' worst impressions of Detroit, and it overshadows the strong contributions of legislators who did show up, like state Sen. Bert Johnson, state Sen. Coleman Young II, state Rep. Fred Durhal and state Rep. Rashida Tlaib, among others. And for the record, folks at the meeting say the participants left LaHood with assurances they're ready to move forward.

Feeling motivated? Send an E-mail to one of the following, asking them to come to the table and make fair-minded compromises to do what has taken over 40 years: get a regional transit authority.Please reference State Bills S909 and S911.E-mail are here, phone numbers below...

LisaHowze@house.mi.gov,
AlbertaTalabi@house.mi.gov,
MaureenStapleton@house.mi.gov,
JohnOlumba@house.mi.gov,
FredDurhal@house.mi.gov,
JimmyWomack@house.mi.gov,
ThomasStallworth@house.mi.gov,
shanellejackson@house.mi.gov,
HarveySantana@house.mi.gov,
DavidNathan@house.mi.gov,
RashidaTlaib@house.mi.gov,
PaulClemente@house.mi.gov,
GeorgeTDarany@house.mi.gov,
bobconstan@house.mi.gov,
PhilCavanagh@house.mi.gov,

Michigan Representative




Please note, for locations, HOB = House Office Building and CB = Capitol Building.

Website	District	Name	Party	Location	Phone	Email
Link	001	Timothy Bledsoe	D	S 0585 HOB	[[517) 373-0154	TimBledsoe@house.mi.gov
Link	002	Lisa Howze	D	S 0586 HOB	[[517) 373-0106	LisaHowze@house.mi.gov
Link	003	Alberta Tinsley Talabi	D	S 0587 HOB	[[517) 373-1776	AlbertaTalabi@house.mi.gov
Link	004	Maureen L. Stapleton	D	S 0588 HOB	[[517) 373-1008	MaureenStapleton@house.mi.gov
Link	005	John Olumba	D	S 0589 HOB	[[517) 373-0144	JohnOlumba@house.mi.gov
Link	006	Frederick C. Durhal Jr.	D	S 0685 HOB	[[517) 373-0844	FredDurhal@house.mi.gov
Link	007	James Womack	D	S 0686 HOB	[[517) 373-0589	JimmyWomack@house.mi.gov
Link	008	Thomas Stallworth III	D	S 0687 HOB	[[517) 373-2276	ThomasStallworth@house.mi.gov
Link	009	Shanelle Jackson	D	S 0688 HOB	[[517) 373-1705	shanellejackson@house.mi.gov
Link	010	Harvey Santana	D	S 0689 HOB	[[517) 373-6990	HarveySantana@house.mi.gov
Link	011	David E. Nathan	D	N 0690 HOB	[[517) 373-3815	DavidNathan@house.mi.gov
Link	012	Rashida Tlaib	D	N 0691 HOB	[[517) 373-0823	RashidaTlaib@house.mi.gov
Link	014	Paul Clemente	D	N 0693 HOB	[[517) 373-0140	PaulClemente@house.mi.gov
Link	015	George T. Darany	D	N 0694 HOB	[[517) 373-0847	GeorgeTDarany@house.mi.gov
Link	016	Bob Constan	D	N 0695 HOB	[[517) 373-0849	bobconstan@house.mi.gov
Link	017	Phil Cavanagh	D	N 0696 HOB	[[517) 373-0857	PhilCavanagh@house.mi.gov

[Hermod]

Detroit has to realize that if there is anything, transit or otherwise, that is set up on a "regional" tri-county basis, they are only entitled to 15% of the votes.

In other words, L. Brooks Patterson has a better chance of being elected as the mayor of "Greater Detroit" than does Joann Watson.

[corktownyuppie]

Thankfully, it's just a matter of time. As population in Detroit continues to decrease and decrease, Detroit is losing more and more representation in the state government.

At some point, the number of reps will be so few, that their ability to obstruct will all but disappear. Hopefully, sometime between now and then, the political winds shift away from the radical and toward the pragmatic.

[Honky Tonk]

"In other words, L. Brooks Patterson has a better chance of being elected as the mayor of "Greater Detroit".

Watching theses ridiculous scenarios keep repeating themselves, I'm ready to vote for L. Brooks Patterson for Detroit mayor.

[Wesley Mouch]

Thankfully, it's just a matter of time. As population in Detroit continues to decrease and decrease, Detroit is losing more and more representation in the state government.

At some point, the number of reps will be so few, that their ability to obstruct will all but disappear. Hopefully, sometime between now and then, the political winds shift away from the radical and toward the pragmatic.

I do hope you are right.

A regional approach would make the region strong. And make Detroit stronger. In the end, bringing more power to Detroit. Instead, the 'radicals' continue to push away from the world and fight anything and everything, when real power would come from engaging others and sharing power and responsibility.

[corktownyuppie]

You can sense how close it is by how ludicrous the levels of desperation to cling to power.

For example, the Belle Isle deal will happen. You already have 5 out of the 9 councilpersons who have signaled they'll approve a deal once the state codifies their promises into the contract.

And even if they don't...at some point, the $6-8MM the city will save by signing the contract, will be worth more than "local control". When will that point be? As soon as they need $6-8MM to pay the bills, which will happen in months...not years.

The city spends $60+MM subsidizing DDOT. At some point, local leaders will swallow their pride. When will that point be? As soon as they need some of that $60MM to pay the bills, which will happen in months...not years.

Or until they come to their senses.

I hope it's the latter, because it's a toss up right now on who will win the fall election. And something tells me that Mitt Romney and his administration won't have the patience to wait on Detroit and its leadership.

[Eric_c]

Romney will ax all these grants and transit funding programs the first day he's in office. Transit system construction and/or expansion will be eliminated.

[DetroitPlanner]

Romney will ax all these grants and transit funding programs the first day he's in office. Transit system construction and/or expansion will be eliminated.

Romney can only do what the legislature allows him to do. Not the other way around. I think its bizarre that the Republicans are using the federal debt as the primary reason to oust Obama, yet it was thier tax cuts and war that put us into the mess we are in. Yes republicans did vote for the bail-outs for Wall Street, the Auto loans, and even for the stimulus package. Some even voted for Obamacare!

The budget ain't set by the prez, its set by the Legislature!

[Eric_c]

Do you honestly believe a Repub controlled Congress and prez will put as much money into transit as Obama? Hey, if Big Bird's in trouble you can bet your ass everything else will be, too.

[Richard]

If I am not mistaken I believe it was Richardville that is putting the brakes on the transit aspect/RTA because he wants to see how it is going to be paid for next year.He seems to have the most control over it.

[313WX]

If I am not mistaken I believe it was Richardville that is putting the brakes on the transit aspect/RTA because he wants to see how it is going to be paid for next year.He seems to have the most control over it.

Yes.

As shown by PA4, the Consent Agreement, the failure to undo the income tax rate decreases and the failed recall election bid, Detroit no longer has any pull in Lansing already, rather the exurbs do which are mostly Republican/far-right.

So if anyone's holding up regionalization initiatives, it's the Shelby Townships and Oxford Townships.

But that doesn't make for a good story in the SE Michi...I mean Detroit Free Press.

[canuck]

The real failure is in the fact it has taken so long to come to this semblance of a final call. And Detroit metro is not anywhere near anything looking like a semblance of something yet.

[corktownyuppie]

Yes.

As shown by PA4, the Consent Agreement, the failure to undo the income tax rate decreases and the failed recall election bid, Detroit no longer has any pull in Lansing already, rather the exurbs do which are mostly Republican/far-right.

So if anyone's holding up regionalization initiatives, it's the Shelby Townships, Richardvilles and Oxford Townships.

But that doesn't make for a good story in the SE Michi...I mean Detroit Free Press.

This isn't a city issue. Freep was talking about the State reps whose districts are in the city. That said, I encourage everyone to give Richardville's office a call.

Randy Richardville at [[517) 373-3543
Reference and urge support for S909 and S911

[brizee]

If an RTA was really a priority it would be passed.

You have Oakland county legislators saying they're an absolute no vote.

You have Wayne county Democratic legislators like Doug Geiss saying the current RTA puts too much power in Detroit hand and not in Wayne County suburbs.

Putting all of this on the Detroit representatives and arguing the Detroit[[lets stop pussyfooting and just call them black) vote needs to be diluted for progress to occur is disingenuous at best and pretty damn offensive at worst.

[313WX]

If an RTA was really a priority it would be passed.

You have Oakland county legislators saying they're an absolute no vote.

You have Wayne county Democratic legislators like Doug Geiss saying the current RTA puts too much power in Detroit hand and not in Wayne County suburbs.

Putting all of this on the Detroit representatives and arguing the Detroit[[lets stop pussyfooting and just call them black) vote needs to be diluted for progress to occur is disingenuous at best and pretty damn offensive at worst.

Yes, that was my point.

And that's what I got from the Free Press article in the OP as well [[that only Detroit's representatives are holding things up, with very little proof to back up that conclusion of course). The 600,000 or so Detroiters who live in the neighborhoods and their representatives just can't seem to win for losing.

But like I said, it's typical behavior from the SE Michigan Free Press and the SE Michigan News. You have to get the Frank Rizzos around here, who make up majority of the customer base, in a uproar so they'll read and subscribe to your paper.

[Hermod]

If an RTA was really a priority it would be passed.

You have Oakland county legislators saying they're an absolute no vote.

You have Wayne county Democratic legislators like Doug Geiss saying the current RTA puts too much power in Detroit hand and not in Wayne County suburbs.

Putting all of this on the Detroit representatives and arguing the Detroit[[lets stop pussyfooting and just call them black) vote needs to be diluted for progress to occur is disingenuous at best and pretty damn offensive at worst.

If you take the total population of the tri-county area and the population of Detroit, you will see that an equitable distribution of seats on a RTA board would allocate 15-17% of the seats to Detroit proper. What is so unfair about that? If you look at where the funds will come from to support the RTA, Detroit should feel fortunate to get the 15-17%.

The attitude that "you owe us"" so just send us the money and we will see that it is spent is completely ridiculous.

[brizee]

Yes, that was my point.

And that's what I got from the Free Press article in the OP as well [[that only Detroit's representatives are holding things up, with very little proof to back up that conclusion of course). The 600,000 or so Detroiters who live in the neighborhoods and their representatives just can't seem to win for losing.

But like I said, it's typical behavior from the SE Michigan Free Press and the SE Michigan News. You have to get the Frank Rizzos around here, who make up majority of the customer base, in a uproar so they'll read and subscribe to your paper.

And just how the powers that be want it.

WTF would they want a Philadelphia/Chicago/NYC situation where a geographically small but populous center could counteract some of the nuttier shit that gets put out?

The peons bitch about checkers and the bigwigs play chess right in front of us.

Old too smart for their own good, GI Joe villain motherfuckers.

[stromberg2]

I love Frank Rizzo....Thank You, Detroitnerd!

Stromberg2

[313WX]

I love Frank Rizzo....Thank You, Detroitnerd!

Agreed.

It's a nice blanket label to describe those types.

[corktownyuppie]

Guys, there is no Detroit.

You get a choice. Either accept a focus on SE Michigan, of which Detroit gets to have a seat at the table. Or a focus on Oakland Macomb County, and the inner ring Wayne suburbs with Detroit as a vacant hole.

You say "SE Michigan Free Press" and "SE Michigan News" with disdain. I think the alternative would be worse, far, far, worse.

The old Detroit is dead. Time to swallow pride and accept the new order so we can salvage something good out of all of this once it's all said and done.

[corktownyuppie]

If you take the total population of the tri-county area and the population of Detroit, you will see that an equitable distribution of seats on a RTA board would allocate 15-17% of the seats to Detroit proper. What is so unfair about that? If you look at where the funds will come from to support the RTA, Detroit should feel fortunate to get the 15-17%.

Detroit is the only place where the leaders [[not all, but some) think that 17% of the people with 5% of the money deserve 51% of the control.

But it will all end. We're on our way to becoming 10% of the people with 0% of the money. So one way or the other, we all know where this train ends.

[corktownyuppie]

Dear xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Thank you for contacting me. I support legislation to create a Regional Transit Authority in Southeast Michigan. The article that you read today in the Detroit Free Press misrepresented my position and the importance I place on regional transportation.


As I commented in a post on the article, my absence from the meeting was due to me not having personal knowledge of the meeting.


Please note that the status of the legislation is that the bills remain in the Senate. If given an opportunity to vote on the bills in the House, you can be certain that I will be supportive.


If you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me again.


Sincerely,


Rep. Lisa Howze

[Richard]

I like the reply to the freep poster about why she missed and really how could she forget about something like this? even a photo op with Mr La Hood would have bought points.

Are you firing anyone in your office for not properly keeping your calender? Is anyone being held responsible for that?

Why should the people of Detroit think you can run the city if your can't run your office and keep a calender with important dates?

Lisa L. Howze Thank you. Breakdowns in communication can be disastrous for you. I hope all works out.

Bravo goes to Tim Carroll the poster who asked those questions.Priceless

[Hypestyles]

I'll be emailing these folks today. No excuses not to support this, doesn't mean they just "accept anything", but it also means not to "flatly reject everything" either..
the RTA deserves to have a strong urban Detroit voice; but the old ideologies have to die...

[EastsideAl]

Guys, there is no Detroit.

Only someone who wasn't from here and hadn't experienced decades - centuries really - of "blame Detroit" [[and in recent decades "blame those crazy n----- down in Detroit") politics from the State of Michigan could ever say something as ridiculous as this. Even now, with a highly reduced Detroit, they're still campaigning against us, as shown by those recent repulsive ads from the state Republican party. And you can certainly see it again in that highly misleading Freep story.

Yes, regional transit needs to get done, and it has been a vital need around here for a very very long time. But since Detroit has run its own transit system for nearly 100 years, has a much larger fleet and greater density of bus lines, and much more than 15% of public transit riders come from the city, I see no reason why we should only get a small % of the representation in making operating decisions. Particularly when many of the suburban areas out there and representatives like Richardville don't even want to pay penny 1 for public transit under any circumstances, and have even fought to keep the scourge of public transit out of their pristine lil' towns.