So, who were these Republicans that limited the bill to only Grand Rapids? Seems to me that they had a hand in defeating this bill all on their own.
Sorry George. As much as I love this idea, you know damn well that if all the money had gone to Detroit, the usual suspects would have been screaming about "favoritism".
Grand Rapids - Mayor George Heartwell spent 20 minutes on the phone with Governor Jennifer Granholm Tuesday. He tried in vain to convince her not to veto a law she feels unfairly benefits Grand Rapids to the exclusion of the state's other cities.
Governor Granholm and Heartwell are allies on the vast majority of issues, but not this one. "I believe that she's made a mistake - I told her that - that her veto will hurt Grand Rapids" Heartwell said Tuesday night.
In question is money, $14.4 million that would be used in the early study phases of an expanded mass transit system for greater Grand Rapids. Congress approved the money earlier this year, but its receipt was linked to action in Lansing. That action, sponsored by Grand Rapids republican Jerry Kooiman, would have extended the length of time local transit authorities could levy taxes to fund their systems. Kooiman's bill ended up applying only to Grand Rapids' Interurban Transit Partnership, something Granholm called "restrictive" and "short-sighted" in her veto letter.
I was all ready to jump down Kooiman's throat over this- but it turns out that "other" Repubs changed the provisions. Funny how party discipline falls apart on this one. Or suspicious. Take your pick.
Gov. Jennifer Granholm ought to veto a transit bill that would deny southeast Michigan, and other regions around the state, the same taxing options as the Grand Rapids area. As it stands, the bill is another slap by Republican leaders at southeast Michigan's efforts to improve public transportation.
The bill, as originally introduced by Rep. Jerry Kooiman, R-Grand Rapids, gave certain transit agencies uniform authority, with local approval, to levy property taxes for up to 25 years for rapid transit and rail projects. But other Republicans pushed to change the bill to apply to Kent County only. Current law limits transit levies to five years.
The best remedy is for Granholm to ask the Legislature for a bill like the one Kooiman initially introduced, giving transit agencies the same extended levy authority for rapid transit and rail projects.
Grand Rapids should have the authority provided in the bill. The region's Interurban Transit Partnership plans to develop a streetcar or rapid transit bus corridor serving its downtown and is seeking a
$14.4-million federal grant for engineering work on the project. The Grand Rapids area has become the state's leader in transit and land use planning, and the Legislature ought to encourage its efforts.
But, without change, the bill on Granholm's desk could also block a proposed Detroit-Ann Arbor rapid transit line that would also serve the Detroit Metropolitan Airport.
Congress has already approved $100 million to design the system. The federal government could also chip in up to 80% of the costs of building such a line, but not if the region doesn't have a long-term plan to pay for operating costs. The Legislature's bill would prevent such a plan by limiting levy authority to five years. Either way, local voters would have to approve any plan to pay for transit systems through property taxes.
Other than petty politics, there's no reason to give only one region the tools to move ahead on major federally funded transit projects. Michigan's local finance law should apply uniformly.
OK, I'm missing something here. What possible gain do the Repubs get by changing this bill so it's certain to get vetoed? And why did Kooiman allow it? Was this designed on purpose to strengthen the divide between Detroit vs. Everyone Else, and make the governor look like the bad guy in the process?
And why would I be so shocked that Michigan Republicans would hurt their constituents based on petty politics alone? Will I ever learn?
On another note- I had to go through three different sources to learn the full story here. A big "boo" to the Grand Rapids media for not presenting the all the details. Let's see if later editions present a balanced picture of why this happened, rather than taking this as just a slap at Grand Rapids.