June 22, 2006
LANSING – Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today joined with area leaders to celebrate legislation that will allow local communities to ask voters to invest in the development of mass transit. She joined officials at The Rapid, an interurban transit partnership in Grand Rapids, for the ceremonial signing of House Bill 6021 (Public Act 175). The legislation was part of a transportation agreement announced in late April between Granholm, Senate Majority Leader Ken Sikkema, and Speaker of the House Craig DeRoche.
“Effective public transportation that helps connect citizens to jobs and essential services is a key element of economic development and job creation,” Granholm said. “This legislation gives every community in our state a new tool to develop this critical infrastructure.”
Public Act 175 gives local communities greater flexibility when asking voters to make a long-term investment in mass transit programs. The previous law allowed local transportation authorities to levy taxes for just five years for public transportation purposes. Under the new law, authorities can extend the time period to 25 years, which will provide several communities with the flexibility to take advantage of available federal funding. In last year’s federal transportation reauthorization bill, $114 million in funding was earmarked for mass transit projects in Grand Rapids and the Metro Detroit area.
Last December, Governor Granholm vetoed similar legislation, because it applied to only one county and not the entire state. She urged the Legislature to address the disparity and send her legislation that treated communities across Michigan fairly.
“I vowed that we would get this job done, and we got it done the right way,” said Granholm. “Now every community in Michigan has the opportunity to invest in critical infrastructure projects when the time is right.”
House Bill 6021 was sponsored by Representative Jerry Kooiman (R-Grand Rapids).
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