Well Southeastern Michigan Taxpayers can breath a little bit easier (for 2018 at least). One potential drain on our wallets has been thwarted, but there is another one in the offing.
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Multiple news outlets have announced that the RTA failed to garner enough support from its own members (go figure) to jam a tax hike on the November ballot for a redundant transportation system.
“We’re obviously disappointed because we could not reach a consensus on a master plan for 2018,” RTA Chair Paul Hillegonds is quoted in The Detroit News.
Now, I wonder why that could be?
Was it the fact that the RTA got caught playing fast and loose with the revenue numbers?
Oakland County Deputy Exec. Robert Daddow already called the RTA on the carpet when he discovered that the RTA grossly underestimated the amount of revenue it would generate by over $800-million in Oakland County alone.
Remember that the tax covers three other S.E. Michigan Counties as well.
Does anyone honesy think that they would refund the overage after this “mistake” came to light?
And when the other issue in Oakland County came to a head, specifically forcing opt out communities to pay for the RTA, is addressed eventually by Rep. Jeff Yaroch, the RTA threw a hissy fit and let their displeasure become known by a 7-2 vote against.
Seriously guys, I like mass transit. But I’ve got an election to think about. Where’s the love???
If this passes, you’re going to pay whether you like it or not. So sayeth the high and mighty RTA.
One down, one to go.
The other transit money pit here in S.E. Michigan is SMART. Conviently, they are looking for a transit tax renewal this August.
As usual, they are trotting out the usual stage props in order to tug on Taxpayers heartstrings. Seniors are threatened as are the handicapped.
Give us more money or they will perish…..muhahahahahahaha!
But a quick look at SMART’s own numbers tells a different story.
SMART ridership has consistently fallen each and every year since 2011.
SMART doesn’t charge its riders anything even close to the cost to run itself. A ride on an empty SMART bus costs about $11.30/rider. S.E. Michigan Taxpayers kick in about $9.95 of that cost.
And why should they, when they can depend upon a steady source of income without having to do anything except trot out the boogyman every couple of years?
All aboard!!! Plenty of room. No problem finding a seat.
August 7th is almost two weeks away.
Stay tuned.
(4)Nuh Uh.
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