Outlying townships' interest waning as four-party agreement for countywide transit nears consensus
Ann Arbor Transportation Authority's plans to create a countywide transportation authority and expand public transit services have not gone over well with many outlying townships.
Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com
The Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners approved its end of the agreement at its August meeting. It would have been the last step necessary to allow the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority Board to file the articles of incorporation for the new authority - but the commissioners voted 6-4 to approve an amendment to the articles.
That means the four-party agreement vote reset: The Ann Arbor City Council approved the amended agreement in its meeting Thursday.
As a part of its special meeting Tuesday, the Ypsilanti City Council will have the opportunity to vote. The AATA Board of Directors also must rubber-stamp the change.
Once all four parties are in agreement, the AATA board can request the county clerk to file the articles of incorporation. After the filing date, municipalities have 30 days to opt out.
Salem, Sylvan, Bridgewater, Saline and Northfield townships chose to opt out from the beginning and declined to submit representatives to the unincorporated countywide transit authority board — often called the u196 board.
For most of the remaining outlying townships, officials are taking a wait-and-see approach.
Overall, operating and capital expenses of the five-year program total $217.8 million. That's offset by $185.9 million in estimated revenue, resulting in a $31.9 million gap.
The 0.5 mill tax to cover the gap - a number proposed by a financial task force - is the main deterrent for the townships. The tax would cost a homeowner of a house with a taxable vale of $100,000 about $50 per year, according to an earlier report from a financial task force.
AATA officials can’t speak in specifics yet as to how municipalities that decide to opt out of the county-wide authority would affect millage rates for those involved.
Rates in the future will depend on a case-by-case basis.
“If a community opts out, then no service would be provided (or expended) there,” wrote AATA spokeswoman Sarah Pressprich Gryniewicz in an email to AnnArbor.com.
However, the level of service and funding asked for by the countywide authority is to be determined by the new board.
While Superior Township has not expressed interest in opting out of the authority yet, officials say that the township residents would not support a millage.
“If nine out of 10 people of your township is not going to be utilizing this … it’s unlikely that it would pass out here,” Superior Township Supervisor William McFarlane said of the millage.
Manchester Township has yet to express its wish to opt out, but township Supervisor Ron Mann said it’s possible that the board will vote to opt out.
“With what we know about the plan, and the half-mill and how much money that would take out of the township, the feeling of the board is that the return to the township wouldn’t be there,” Mann said. The millage would raise about $85,000 from Manchester Township, Mann said.
Northfield Township offered the same explanation for why they opted out.
“We would like to see more of a scaled-down plan and one that’s not so elaborate,” said Northfield Township Supervisor Deb Mozurkewich. “If you took the amount of millage that came out of Northfield Township I don’t think we’d be getting the amount of service that we’d be paying for.”
Mozurkewich said she would have liked to see the expansion of the transit authority funded through vehicle registration fees.
In a written document from Bridgewater Township officials expressing their opinion on the Transit Master Plan, they offered the explanation as to why they declined to send a representative to the u196 board:
“The transit plan seeks to sustain a branch of government while there are people eating dog food throughout Washtenaw County.”
AATA will be issuing a plan in September to present to communities in Washtenaw County to give them a sense of AATA’s plans.
The document will be a revised version of its 5-Year Transit Improvement plan that integrates public comment received in May, and will include an overview of existing services, proposed service expansions, fares, ticketing, future improvement plans, governance and funding.
- Read a copy of the 5-year plan, issued in April, here: 5-Year-Program_AATA.pdf
Amy Biolchini covers Washtenaw County, health and environmental issues for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at (734) 623-2552, amybiolchini@annarbor.com or on Twitter.
Comments
Evergreen
Sun, Aug 12, 2012 : 1:55 p.m.
I think most people agree the busses are not full now. Around AA and Ypsi they have students and workers who can use them. In the outlying areas it's almost totally senior and special needs and a few without cars. What about when gas goes over $5-6.00 or more a gallon? Looking to the future Washtenaw County may be one of the most attractive growth area with N-S, E-W travel, and airports. Washtenaw is behind the 8-ball because we invested our state in the auto not the train, not the mass transit. As more and more people move to the US from Europe and Asia where mass transit is the main means of travel will we offer that same cost savings, energy savings, or keep building parking areas which seems to get a lot of grumbles also? I for one cannot just think about now, nor can I think just about the Americans who have one car per driver and have never needed mass transit. Peaking at the future just like we should have when gas was a dollar something, or less, peaking at the number of people with English second language, are we sure we don't want to SMARTLY beginning setting up mass transit? What I'm asking is people instead of just putting ideas down, help work together to find the best sollutions. Can't be done? Europe has done it, still has cars. Asia has done it, still has cars. So has New York, and Boston, Atlanta, Chicago, Toronto [to mention the mas transit I've actually seen]. Heck we don't even need to reinvent the wheel, just follow successful cities, states, countries.
Stephen Landes
Sun, Aug 12, 2012 : 4:47 p.m.
Maybe you can shed some light on what you think is so successful about these other countries and cities -- places with higher unemployment, higher taxes, and going broke governments. I don't think that is a path we want to follow. Not one of these places, save possibly in Spain where the siesta accounted for an additional two rush hours a day, do their transportation systems come anywhere close to paying for themselves. Better work hard to find some examples of "success".
RUKiddingMe
Sat, Aug 11, 2012 : 11:43 p.m.
I would encourage all residents affected by this to start taking notice of the number of riders on AATA buses you pass. Also, remember that they recently performed several experiments to produce data to PUSH this through, and one was increasing service on a POPULAR route by 100% (they DOUBLED the number of buses and/or trips on that route), and it resulted in 14% increase of riders. Do the math there; this was data used that would supposedly in some way justify increased service and the expansion; they DOUBLED the cost of operation for a 14% increase in people served. And that was on a POPULAR route. Also remember the recent maintenenace shop remodel/expansion, and the demolishment/new rebuild of the station in downtown AA (which will for some reason have a conference room and multiple floors, but apparently no increase in covered areas to wait for a bus), for millions upon millions of dollars. For some reason, in a bad economy the city and other taxing institutions REALLY kick up the expenditures and moneygrabs several notches. Same thing in happened in a town called North Las Vegas (new extravagant city hall, coincidentally), Cleveland (botched refuse/recycling pickup project, with RFID containers and wireless technology), the list goes on and on. The people have to get very involved with stopping this; the ones getting the money have no reason to stop expanding and taking more money and hiring friends and creating new commissions and generating new mils and increasing taxes; why would they stop? They keep getting away with it, over and over.
A2Realilty
Sat, Aug 11, 2012 : 9 p.m.
I'm going to vote this down when I get the chance.
Mick52
Sat, Aug 11, 2012 : 7:15 p.m.
Dexter here and why should I support it when I have no idea what the service will be? I don't know if we will get one bus a day or regular service.
martini man
Sat, Aug 11, 2012 : 7 p.m.
S0 if the mass transit liberals could have their way , this would be an "imposed" tax rather than a voted on millage. If this tax ever reaches a ballot I'll proudly vote NO . There are a few routes that actually have quite a few riders,but most have busses with two or three people on them. Wearing out tires, and equipment and burning loads of fuel. But who cares , as long as the taxpayers subsidize it ??? Right ???? I say increase fares on the busy routes and quit sending these huge busses on long routes with two or three people on board ..counting the driver.Talk about total inefficiency !!
RUKiddingMe
Sat, Aug 11, 2012 : 6:19 p.m.
A very heartfelt thanks to Vivienne Armentrout for doing the legwork to bring what I'm sure is a small fraction of the impropriety of this and many other goings on in our city's government. It has become very clear that those in power are becoming much more comfortable with ever more wasteful and blatant misuses of money, relying on the trust, apathy, and/or ignorance of those they are meant to serve. Ms. Armentrout, would more people speaking out about this at city council meetings make any difference? What is it that people can do, other than voting, to put a stop to things like this, or at least steer them in a different direction? If 10 people at a council meeting spoke against it, would it matter? If 200 people emailed their Ward's council member, would that do anything? Do council members only care about emails and/or letters from the ward that they represent? How can the average concerned citizen make a difference in this situation?
Goober
Sun, Aug 12, 2012 : 11:19 a.m.
To Basic Bob - bunk! Because someone differs with your opinions does not mean they have hatred for the lower class!
Vivienne Armentrout
Sat, Aug 11, 2012 : 7:21 p.m.
As best I understand it, this decision is now out of the hands of the Ann Arbor City Council and also the Board of Commissioners. They have both signed off on the agreement. The only steps left are passage of the amended version by the Ypsilanti City Council (unless that has quietly happened already) and the AATA board itself. The AATA board will meet on August 16, 6:30 p.m.at the downtown library. The public is allowed 2 minutes for items on the agenda, which this is. Once that has passed, we citizens in Ann Arbor will have essentially no representation in the running of our transit system. There is a District Advisory Committee that is supposed to provide for local input, but it has been set up so that the committee itself has no agenda and no means of putting forth items for discussion. I just lost a council campaign in part because many people apparently were persuaded that I am "against transit". I only hope that I am wrong in my estimation of the damage this move may make to our local bus system.
Basic Bob
Sat, Aug 11, 2012 : 6:52 p.m.
I also appreciate the information. It is a service to the voters and the community. However, I would be inclined to vote in favor of the agreement. It might help my family from time to time, and it would most certainly be used by my neighbors. Countywide was never going to happen, but for the urbanized part of the county it could receive significant support. I find it quite interesting that many of the so-called progressives are now suspicious of tax increases and the reach of government, much like their tea party foes. I doubt that a consensus can be reached in a public forum. Their hatred of the lower class unites them.
G. Orwell
Sat, Aug 11, 2012 : 6:01 p.m.
Who is pulling the strings that these power hungary politicians at the city and county levels want to give away their power to an unelected authority? This is a power grab to take the taxing power away from the people. Taxation without representation.
Veracity
Sat, Aug 11, 2012 : 5:55 p.m.
The townships that are opting out are displaying insight! The 4-Party County Authority is designed to justify increasing tax revenue which will be used for pet projects of a few influential entrepreneurs in Ann Arbor. If the millage passes and the 4-Party Transit Authority is actually created, watch how the 4-Party County Authority board distributes tax revenue to support the "Re-Imagining Washtenaw" project of interest to developers, architects and construction companies. Observe more financial enticements to build on vacant lands bordering Washtenaw Avenue. Watch as new administrative jobs with big salaries are created. Once the AATA is replaced by the 4-Party County Authority will present AATA CEO, Michael Ford, ascend to CEO of the 4-Pary County Authority with a salary perhaps twice as large as the one he will be giving up? Lament at reduced transportation services and terminated improvement plans within Ann Arbor as our tax dollars are doled out by board members for other uses than to support transportation.
Ken
Sun, Aug 12, 2012 : 12:45 a.m.
Interesting thought, but I am of the belief that Michael Ford will disappear once this Act 196 Authority is created. Michael Ford being a "consultant" is here to put this plan into operation. Notice that his contract is year to year only, once implemented; some other over payed Transit genius will take the helm!
David Cahill
Sat, Aug 11, 2012 : 5:18 p.m.
I am nonplussed by the Bridgewater Township officials' statement that they are not participating in the proposed plan because "there are people eating dog food throughout Washtenaw County." I would have expected this concern for the poor from a Democratic area of the county. But Bridgewater is Republican. Why didn't they just say they didn't want the new system and leave it at that?
ferdcom
Sat, Aug 11, 2012 : 5:04 p.m.
@Tom "Taxpayer funded roadways" are maintained thru gasoline excise taxes paid by drivers of non-electric vehicles.
Basic Bob
Sat, Aug 11, 2012 : 6:45 p.m.
That's quite a gift to the non-gasoline users. No road taxes on coal-fired electricity.
xmo
Sat, Aug 11, 2012 : 4:56 p.m.
Would it be too much to ask that this Regional Transit program break even or make a small profit? I think everybody would like this if the ones who use it pay for it instead, I have to pay $50 or $100 a year for something I never use! Yes I am not a Progressive Person!
Veracity
Sat, Aug 11, 2012 : 5:40 p.m.
You are certainly not a progressive as you usually reflect Republican ideology. However, with this issue, I find myself having to agree with you. I never would have imagined!
LXIX
Sat, Aug 11, 2012 : 4:19 p.m.
But can I buy your Magic Bus? (Too much, the Magic Bus) Nooooooooo! Madic Bus (song) The Who 1968
Goofus
Sat, Aug 11, 2012 : 4:13 p.m.
What an unwieldy basically meaningless headline. "Outlying townships' interest waning as four-party agreement for countywide transit nears consensus". Huh? Journalism 101 anyone?
annarboral
Sat, Aug 11, 2012 : 4:01 p.m.
The only reason for a county wide transit aithority is to gether more taxes to further subsidize buses. If buses are such a good idea then the users of that service should be more than willing to pay the true costs. I'm really tired of all the people who continually want "someone else" to pay for their services.
Ricardo Queso
Sat, Aug 11, 2012 : 3:42 p.m.
So just this week, proposals for three new mileages. The DIA, an art tax, and a bus tax.
Dog Guy
Sat, Aug 11, 2012 : 4:06 p.m.
Not "just this week", Ricardo Queso, but since the Tuesday's primary.
Vivienne Armentrout
Sat, Aug 11, 2012 : 3:03 p.m.
You left out Sharon Township, which declined to participate from the beginning. Northfield withdrew later. So now 6 townships out of 20 have already "opted out". I discovered last spring while this was being discussed that AATA was misrepresenting the involvement of the townships. They stated that all townships had completed Act 7 agreements on which the board representation is supposed to be based. It took me a couple of FOIAs and a lot of telephone calls to officials to establish the truth. Not only had many townships failed to execute Act 7 agreements (which are supposed to include a public hearing in the local unit), but no Act 7 agreements had been filed with the Secretary of State. This is required by law in P.A. 7. Except for those 6 townships, Act 7 agreements have apparently now been signed. But when the City of Ann Arbor was first asked to approve the 4-party agreement in December, AATA claimed that all these steps were complete. It was not at all true. How many more misrepresentations are there? I have detailed all this in my post http://localannarbor.wordpress.com/2012/01/27/how-much-county-in-washtenaw-county-wide-transit/ I'd like to point out that the board representation as designed assumes full participation across the county. If more townships opt out, will a majority of non-participating communities be ruling a transit authority paid for mostly by Ann Arbor?
Ellis Sams
Sat, Aug 11, 2012 : 2:01 p.m.
If only the folks outside Ann Arbor understood Mayor Heiftje's vision on this, they would know why they need bus service. If they could survive without bus service, the mayor wouldn't have put so much effort into helping them solve a problem they don't know they have. Folks, the mayor knows best on this.
Indymama
Mon, Aug 13, 2012 : 3:53 a.m.
HA!! The Mayor may think he knows best, but he and his cronies are well on their way to forcing you into their mold of dependent minions to do their bidding, while they "live high on the hog". It is time for you to wake-up. Are you willing to let the government tell you what you can eat, where you can go, what you can do for recreation (censored movies, etc.), OR do you prefer a choice of where to shop, where you can travel and what means of transportation you can use.? WAKE -UP!! Be an adult and get off the couch-potato mentality!! Heiftje's vision is to close off everyone in a few square miles and prevent you from living where you want...instead he wants to force you to live in a high-rise in downtown and walk or bike everywhere you want to go. The mayor does NOT know best!!!
Mike
Sat, Aug 11, 2012 : 3:36 p.m.
Give the mayor credit, he is doing his part. He's narrowing the main arteries into town to create unbearable traffic jambs and then building you bike paths so you can still get around. Believe me you'll wish this bus service was in place when you can't get around anymore.
Jeffersonian Liberal
Sat, Aug 11, 2012 : 1:46 p.m.
This is nothing more than the progressives attempt to steal more tax dollars to fund their favorite black hole, public transportation. They have run out of the Citidiots money, so the only option left is to co-opt the townships to pay for their empty buses. If we need to go to the Peoples Republic we will drive ourselves there, not ride like some third world immigrant packed in a smelly bus! Good luck stealing my money.
Indymama
Mon, Aug 13, 2012 : 3:40 a.m.
I think this is a Democratic plan to take more of your money for another "failed" (Think Salyndra) program which will only fill the pocikiets of a few "good" Democrats, and leave the rest of us with empty pockets!!
BHarding
Mon, Aug 13, 2012 : 12:40 a.m.
I think of myself as a progressive, but, at the same time, I want fiscal responsibility as do many forward-thinking taxpayers with a little common sense. AATA is a big chunk of our property tax bill, we need to check it occasionally.
Tom
Sat, Aug 11, 2012 : 2:05 p.m.
Better not drive on any taxpayer-funded roadways then, hypocrite!
Ron Granger
Sat, Aug 11, 2012 : 1:42 p.m.
Good bus service inside Ann Arbor is extremely important. Major expansion outside our city - not so much. It is too soon.
Mike
Sat, Aug 11, 2012 : 3:34 p.m.
Too soon alright. Just need to impose more moratoriums on fossil fuels and people will beg for mass transit. Dirty carbon products need to cost more. Hopefully gas prices will be in the $10/gallon range and then this will work...............
RUKiddingMe
Sat, Aug 11, 2012 : 1:39 p.m.
End this. End this whole thing. Look how far it's gotten and they're only now seeing people aren't interested. Another "fire, Ready, Aim" project that will only cost people money with no return on investment (at least, not for people whose money is actually being taken; I'm sure AATA staff and the new governing organization of this big expaned thing will be paid just fine). This was and is nothing but a money grab. End it. You knew it wasn't necessary, you know it's not the right thing to do, end it. END IT.
Ron Granger
Sat, Aug 11, 2012 : 1:29 p.m.
"However, the level of service and funding asked for by the countywide authority is to be determined by the new board." This little nugget says the taxes they will impose have yet to be determined. It is a pretty safe bet that it will be higher than any numbers yet mentioned.
Ron Granger
Sat, Aug 11, 2012 : 1:28 p.m.
"AATA officials can't speak in specifics yet as to how municipalities that decide to opt out of the county-wide authority would affect millage rates for those involved." Hah! The new board will have the authority to impose new taxes. They can just jack your taxes to pay for the shortfalls - and anything else they'd like. That includes new executive positions, consultants, etc.
L'chaim
Sun, Aug 12, 2012 : 9:52 p.m.
But isn't the U196 millage funding subject to a public vote? I thought that it was, is.
Brad
Sat, Aug 11, 2012 : 12:35 p.m.
"Nears consensus" of everyone but the taxpayers.
Ron Granger
Sat, Aug 11, 2012 : 1:25 p.m.
Testify!