Quote Originally Posted by hortonz View Post
Toronto has a blank check from the province of Ontario to spend as much as it wants on mass transit, earning it the nick-name Hogtown. Personally, I think southwestern Ontario would be better off if they seceded from the province. Boston never dismantled its' mass transit network like Detroit did. New York and Los Angeles can rely on the generosity of local, state and federal governments. Detroit has to rely on the private sector and a bankrupt city government.
Or, in the case of New York, you have established transit authorities with oversight provided by a state-level agency, and dedicated funding mechanisms to keep the services operating. Federal transit dollars are available to all comers, provided you meet the requirements [[which Detroit and Michigan refuse to do). So let's spare the crocodile tears. Michigan chooses to invest only in roads, so that's what you have.