Significant steps forward in public transit funding have occurred at the State Capitol. The Governor has signed PA 175 (formerly HB 6021), which will allow residents to vote for long-term local property tax millages to support a fixed-guideway rapid transit system. State Rep. Jerry Kooiman (R-Grand Rapids) sponsored the bill.

Also, State Sens. Gilda Jacobs (D-Huntington Woods) and Liz Brater (D-Ann Arbor) recently introduced Senate Joint Resolution L. This resolution would create a ballot initiative asking voters to allow counties to seek local sales taxes for public transit and road repair.

"These policy changes are crucial for both Grand Rapids and Southeast Michigan, which have taken significant steps to plan rapid transit lines," said Transportation Riders United Executive Director Megan Owens. "To get federal funding, rapid transit projects like the Ann Arbor-to-Detroit commuter rail or Grand Rapids light rail must demonstrate that they can finance general operating costs over the long term."

These opportunities have not come without some significant political wrangling. HB 6021 is the third iteration of a bill that was originally amended to exclude Southeast Michigan and subsequently vetoed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm.

Senate Joint Resolution L will probably not get a hearing during this legislative session. Most other major U.S. regions use a sales tax to fund public transit. Atlanta, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver and Houston all allocate one cent of a regional sales tax to transit. San Jose allocates one-half cent; St. Louis allocates 3/4-cent, and Seattle 8/10 of a penny. Michigan communities should have the opportunity to decide if they want to use a local sales tax to finance rapid transit and needed road repairs.

Despite this good news, some of the same parochial, partisan attacks on transit that have plagued its existence and growth over the last 60 years continue. State support for transit has been slashed in recent years. Gov. Granholm proposed reinstating $10 million in bus funding that had been cut from last year's budget. The State House has agreed so far, but the State Senate had other ideas.

The Senate Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee, led by State Sen. Shirley Johnson (R-Troy) passed the transportation budget, SB 1097, without the $10 million Granholm had restored. The budget must still pass the full Senate, be reconciled with the House budget and be signed by the governor.

New transit or highway projects must be carefully evaluated for feasibility and alternatives before they can be designed and built. Light rail on the Woodward corridor has already been found to be feasible. The next step is an "alternatives analysis," which will evaluate all possible routes and modes to decide the best locally-preferred option. This is estimated to cost $3 million. State Reps. Andy Meisner (D-Ferndale) and Marie Donigan (D-Royal Oak) are seeking funding for this study. Unfortunately, their effort to add it to the state transportation funding bill was rejected. They are now working with Lt. Gov. John Cherry to identify the needed funds.