By John Bebow - September 10, 2008
Only six states bring home smaller pieces of federal bacon than Michigan. That's right. Michigan ranks 44th in federal spending back here at home, according to a new report from the Citizens Research Council of Michigan.
Mass transit is one area where the feds might soon dole out more money to the states. But it's hard for Michigan to get its fair share when we don't have much mass transit!
"As a Michigan native and former planning and development director for Ypsilanti, I know the many reasons Michigan's economy and cities are struggling today," Megan Gibb, now a transit manager in Portland, Oregon, wrote recently in the Lansing State Journal. "Portland's use of public transit as an economic development tool has paid off. Economist Joe Cortright reports in his CEO's for Cities white paper, 'Portland's Green Dividend,' that the region's transit system and efficient land use results in $2.6 billion a year in transportation cost and time savings, freeing up money for residents to spend on other things, in turn stimulating the local economy. Furthermore, college- educated 25- to 34-year-olds have immigrated to the Portland region five times faster than the nation as a whole during the past decade. This is due to sustainable land use and transportation alternatives."
Likewise, MichiganNOW radio reporter Chris McCarus finds mass transit at the core of economic growth in both Denver and Toronto. Listen to what he has to say.
Metro Detroit's transit czar John Hertel says now is no time to lose hope.
And Transportation Riders United lists several upcoming meetings in Metro Detroit where your can have your say on transit issues.
3 Comments
Since southeast Mich. is not interested in public transit the Lansing area should think about light rail along US 27 up to St. Johns and Michigan Avenue/Grand River from Meridian Twp to the Capitol. There would be long term pay offs. We have too many apartments being scatter throughout the three counties making public transit very costly to serve them.
I'm a first-timer to the Center's blog, but admire very much what you all are trying to do from the policy and political perspectives in Michigan. We need to move to the sensible middle, without question. I'm also very interested in public transit, as are a couple of our clients, who believe strongly in the economic development benefits transit expansion can bring to Michigan. I look forward to contributing to this conversation on your blog in the future.
Momentum continues to build for expanding rapid transit across Michigan. First, there's House Bill 6114 pending on the floor of the state House in Lansing. The bill would help boost transit in cities across Michigan. Then this week or next week, bills are expected in the House and Senate to advance the 3.4-mile light rail line planned for Detroit. On Sunday, Sept. 28, The Detroit News published a favorable editorial about Detroit's regional transit plan. And today (Thursday, Oct. 2) the Lansing State Journal urged the Legislature to expand mass transit. Many cities in other states are creating thousands of jobs and generating billions in new investments precisely because of their rapid transit line. Michigan must do the same. Please urge your state lawmakers support public policies such as House Bill 6114 to jumpstart transit in Detroit, Grand Rapids ... and all across Michigan.
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