Elimination of Money for RTA Proposed

**astongraham** · February-26-14, 12:21 PM

Our great leaders in Lansing are proposing eliminating funding for RTA and the DMC. I guess if you you can't drown government in a bathtub, drown progress instead.

I can't wait for the elections to finally get here. If he can't remove the governor, we can at least shake up congress.

http://m.freep.com/localnews/article...2260079&f=1232

**bailey** · February-26-14, 12:38 PM

Originally Posted by astongraham

http://m.freep.com/localnews/article...2260079&f=1232

Our great leaders in Lansing are proposing eliminating funding for RTA and the DMC. I guess if you you can't drown government in a bathtub, drown progress instead.

I can't wait for the elections to finally get here. If he can't remove the governor, we can at least shake up congress.

Isn't creating an RTA a requirement for the federal funds for the ~~Woodward Trolley~~ M1 Rail?

**313WX** · February-26-14, 12:41 PM

Originally Posted by bailey

Isn't creating an RTA a requirement for the federal funds for the ~~Woodward Trolley~~ M1 Rail?

Yep.

But what wil likely happen with the Woodward trolley is that we'll in the end just get The People Mover 2.0.

**DetroitPlanner** · February-26-14, 12:53 PM

Originally Posted by bailey

Isn't creating an RTA a requirement for the federal funds for the ~~Woodward Trolley~~ M1 Rail?

M-1 Rail has been around longer than the RTA. The answer is no.

What I find interesting is another $25 fee for car insurance. I thought the republican controlled house and senate were trying to gut the MCCA and reduce insurance payouts. What the heck is this for?

"The House is hoping to pass no-fault auto insurance reform that includes a $25 assessment on every insured driver to deal with the shortfall in the Health Insurance Claims Assessment issue. But the fate of that proposal is far from certain."

**bailey** · February-26-14, 12:57 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

M-1 Rail has been around longer than the RTA. The answer is no.

The Obama administration has signaled its approval of the project, which had hinged on the creation of a Regional Transit Authority for southeast Michigan, created last year in an act by the Legislature.

The authority ultimately will have control over federal funding for the Detroit Department of Transportation and suburban SMART bus systems and will ask voters in Wayne, Oakland, Macomb and Washtenaw counties as early as November 2014 for a new tax to help build a regional bus rapid-transit network

The U.S. Transportation Department awarded the $25 million grant in February 2010, but the actual funding is coming three years later. Detroit has been unable to move forward with the project after the grant was reallocated at the end of 2011 and the plans were put on hold. Federal funding for the project was confirmed only when final approval was won for the regional transit authority.

If the RTA gets aborted... then what happens to the funds laid out by the feds?

**DetroitPlanner** · February-26-14, 01:00 PM

Originally Posted by bailey

If the RTA gets aborted... then what happens to the funds laid out by the feds?

The $25 million is directed to rail on Woodward. It is an MDOT sponsored project. M-1 is being built by MDOT and will be run by a private consortium made up of the private investors. It is not dependent on the RTA and has never been.

**bailey** · February-26-14, 01:04 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

The $25 million is directed to rail on Woodward. It is an MDOT sponsored project. M-1 is being built by MDOT and will be run by a private consortium made up of the private investors. It is not dependent on the RTA and has never been.

Then this and the variations of it that was reported is incorrect?

The U.S. Transportation Department awarded the $25 million grant in February 2010, but the actual funding is coming three years later. Detroit has been unable to move forward with the project after the grant was reallocated at the end of 2011 and the plans were put on hold. Federal funding for the project was confirmed only when final approval was won for the regional transit authority.

I can of course be mistaken, but IIRC the money was the carrot on the stick to get the RTA created.

**corktownyuppie** · February-26-14, 01:05 PM

I can't wait for the elections to finally get here. If he can't remove the governor, we can at least shake up congress.

I'm as upset as you are about this but I think blaming the governor is unfair considering one of them is actually the governor's bill.

LANSING — The Regional Transit Authority may lose out on help from the state the form of $2 million in start-up costs that Gov. Rick Snyder proposed and the Senate passed last week, if the House gets its way.

There is more than enough to be angry about, I just would rather see it directed at the right source.

**Detroitnerd** · February-26-14, 01:23 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

The $25 million is directed to rail on Woodward. It is an MDOT sponsored project. M-1 is being built by MDOT and will be run by a private consortium made up of the private investors. It is not dependent on the RTA and has never been.

And how do you know that? Because it's a "rail" project. The RTA was designed with a voting structure that makes it all but impossible to vote yes on rail proposals.

**poobert** · February-26-14, 01:36 PM

So let me get this straight:

We have a budget surplus so we gut existing or previously allocated-for projects. Then we take that budget surplus [[from a state with deteriorating, or in the case of mass transit, non-existent) infrastructure, and give an income tax break that benefits primarily the wealthy.

Got it.

Maybe the next item for the wild-eyed snake-handling rustics in Lansing will be inspired by their Republican brethren in Arizona. Absolutely animalistic.

**brizee** · February-26-14, 01:54 PM

Sometimes this place feels like Hell on Earth.

Arizona is the only other state I can think that's competing with Michigan.

You can have Mexican hating nutjobs with the shittiest summer in the country.

Or you can have poor people and urban living of any kind hating nutjobs with the shittiest winter the country.

**EastsideAl** · February-26-14, 02:03 PM

As I say over and over again, Lansing is not our friend, and does not and never has had our best interests in mind. In fact, if it benefits Detroit or "Detroiters" in any way there's a certain hard core of people in Lansing who will be dead set against it.

**bailey** · February-26-14, 02:06 PM

Originally Posted by EastsideAl

As I say over and over again, Lansing is not our friend, and does not and never has had our best interests in mind. In fact, if it benefits Detroit or "Detroiters" in any way there's a certain hard core of people in Lansing who will be dead set against it.

In their defense, I would bet "detroit" and "Detroiters" consume far more of the state's government's time, budget and focus that the majority of anywhere else. I could see being a Grand Rapids area legislator and hearing it loud and often from my constituents that GR needs more of the state's attention.

**Detroitnerd** · February-26-14, 02:15 PM

Originally Posted by bailey

In their defense, I would bet "detroit" and "Detroiters" consume far more of the state's government's time, budget and focus that the majority of anywhere else. I could see being a Grand Rapids area legislator and hearing it loud and often from my constituents that GR needs more of the state's attention.

Well, in fairness to Al, the point wasn't about "attention." It was about how Lansing legislates in such a way that socks it to Detroit over and over and over again. I doubt these legislators consider their deeds to be chores, and are likely filled with glee to do their part of the big job. And I doubt Grand Rapids would care for the sorts of kindnesses done us by Lansing.

**DetroitPlanner** · February-26-14, 02:22 PM

Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

And how do you know that? Because it's a "rail" project. The RTA was designed with a voting structure that makes it all but impossible to vote yes on rail proposals.

Your questioning does not mean I do not know what I am talking about. It means you don't know what you are talking about. I am so knee deep in this project it ain't even funny.

**DetroitPlanner** · February-26-14, 02:24 PM

Originally Posted by brizee

Or you can have poor people and urban living of any kind hating nutjobs with the shittiest winter the country.

That is not true. I'd rather winter here than in ME, MN, or ND.

**Honky Tonk** · February-26-14, 02:26 PM

Originally Posted by EastsideAl

As I say over and over again, Lansing is not our friend, and does not and never has had our best interests in mind. In fact, if it benefits Detroit or "Detroiters" in any way there's a certain hard core of people in Lansing who will be dead set against it.

Sort of like if it comes down from Lansing, there's a certain set of hard core Detroiters that will be dead set against it.

**bailey** · February-26-14, 02:34 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

Your questioning does not mean I do not know what I am talking about. It means you don't know what you are talking about. I am so knee deep in this project it ain't even funny.

Great, so can you shed some light on why a lot of the articles and even the info on M1s site seem to indicate funding was not released from the feds until the state agreed to set up the RTA? and, if there is no RTA ...then what?

**poobert** · February-26-14, 02:43 PM

Originally Posted by bailey

In their defense, I would bet "detroit" and "Detroiters" consume far more of the state's government's time, budget and focus that the majority of anywhere else. I could see being a Grand Rapids area legislator and hearing it loud and often from my constituents that GR needs more of the state's attention.

And if not for Detroit - more specifically, Metro Detroit, which would not exist without Detroit - Michigan would be a frozen backwater with nothing but sugar beets and militiamen trapsing around the backwoods, ready to take on the feds. This state would have nearly zero prominence or power on the national stage were it not for the population and economy of our region. It would be the equivalent of a North Dakota with no oil.

Rural Michigan is already basically living on the dole anyway, so they don't have much room to point at Detroit, but I'm sure they're quite pleased with their rural hypocricy.
http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/...for_rural.html

**EastsideAl** · February-26-14, 02:50 PM

Originally Posted by bailey

In their defense, I would bet "detroit" and "Detroiters" consume far more of the state's government's time, budget and focus that the majority of anywhere else. I could see being a Grand Rapids area legislator and hearing it loud and often from my constituents that GR needs more of the state's attention.

Yes, but you would be wrong. We actually get less money than our population [[and largest city status) would seem to warrant. Certainly less than most major cities elsewhere in the country get from their state governments.

**EastsideAl** · February-26-14, 02:51 PM

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

Sort of like if it comes down from Lansing, there's a certain set of hard core Detroiters that will be dead set against it.

How many people in Detroit are against improved transit?

**EastsideAl** · February-26-14, 02:53 PM

Originally Posted by poobert

Rural Michigan is already basically living on the dole anyway, so they don't have much room to point at Detroit, but I'm sure they're quite pleased with their rural hypocricy.
http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/...for_rural.html

A fact that seems almost completely lost in the tiresome discussions outstate and in Lansing about how much Detroit "costs" them.

**compn** · February-26-14, 03:27 PM

i think illinois has similar problems with chicago and the rest of the rural state.

**Honky Tonk** · February-26-14, 03:52 PM

Originally Posted by EastsideAl

A fact that seems almost completely lost in the tiresome discussions outstate and in Lansing about how much Detroit "costs" them.

One of the reasons being, if relief gets sent to rural areas, they get votes in return. If the State tries to help Detroit, well, you've read it here first.

**DetroitPlanner** · February-26-14, 03:58 PM

Originally Posted by bailey

Great, so can you shed some light on why a lot of the articles and even the info on M1s site seem to indicate funding was not released from the feds until the state agreed to set up the RTA? and, if there is no RTA ...then what?

M-1 is not germane to this thread. Please provide me one of those articles. M-1 was approved before the RTA was.

From 2010:
http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...-federal-grant

RTA was not approved until late 2012 and did not meet until January 2013.