After decades of talk about fixing the damn roads with minimal meaningful action, the Michigan House of Representatives voted on Wednesday March 19 to pass a $3 billion transportation funding package! It would make major new investments in local roads but provide only a tiny increase for local buses, which TRU and other advocates are fighting to get increased.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer has recommended her own MI Road Ahead Plan that would also raise $3 billion for transportation through a combination of funding shifts and reasonable revenue increases. And it invests a fully 10% for transit!
Now it’s up to the Michigan Senate to develop and pass their own transportation funding package. Please urge Senator Majority Leader Brinks and your own state Senator to prioritize public transit, especially to include 10% for transit in any “roads funding” package!
TRU Testified to Restore Road-Transit Balance
On Tuesday, March 18, the Michigan House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee received testimony and voted on their road funding package (HB 4180-4187, & 4230) that would provide more than $3 billion to roads but just $50 million to comprehensive transportation.
The County Road Association and Michigan Association of Counties, Michigan Municipal League, Michigan Townships Association, American Council of Engineering Companies, and the Operating Engineers were roundly supportive of the bill package, especially with the addition today of HB 4230, which would create a neighborhood road fund, and an amendment to another bill in the package that would shore up the “backfill” for local government revenue sharing.
Also testifying today were Earl Cox, the President of the ATU Michigan Legislative Conference; Megan Owens, the Director of Transportation Riders United; and MPTA Executive Director John Dulmes. Please click here for a video of their collective testimony – about 16 minutes, including questions from legislators.
The group shared about the importance of local transit, the impacts of reduced state funding, and the need for additional revenues in this package. Questions included the impacts of EV buses, whether or not the groups would support a $50 million increase in CTF, and more about the share of local/rider funding for transit. MPTA Director John Dulmes also shared about the introduction last week of HB 4210 by Rep. Morgan, which would increase the allocation of the auto-related sales tax revenues to CTF by up to $325 million.
The bill package included a number of modest substitutes and some Democratic amendments – including one to increase the share of funding going to CTF, and all of which were defeated.
Especially on National Transit Employee Appreciation Day, we were glad to share about transit funding with the legislature but recognize that the House will likely pass out their transportation funding package in the coming days, and we have a lot of work ahead with the Governor and the Democratic-led Senate. We appreciate everyone who has helped in this effort and plan to double down on our coalition partnership.
Now Its Up to the Michigan Senate – Tell them to Prioritize Transit
For any new transportation funding to become reality, the Michigan Senate needs to pass their own package. While Majority Leader Winnie Brinks has been quoted as saying the House plan is a joke, she hasn’t said what she would support. Her office has even said quietly that they haven’t been hearing much about transit from constituents or other Senators. Time to change that!