For a lax transportation system stuck in the Stone Age, what's another delay for Metro Detroit?
The Detroit News reports that Regional Transit Authority is debating whether to ask voters for funding in either 2014 or wait til 2016. And oh yes, more than a year after state lawmakers created the agency, it still has no leader.
Leonard Fleming of the Detroit News writes:
The RTA’s board meets Wednesday to debate the funding question. The authority’s executive board recommended waiting until 2016 to put a plan before the voters in Wayne, Oakland, Macomb and Washtenaw counties, a move the board is expected to support. But that could mean two years before the RTA has a dedicated funding stream at a time when supporters say it needs to be able to show progress on mass transit to convince voters to support a millage or higher vehicle fees.
“It’d be foolish to go to the ballot if we’re not ready,” said Dennis Schornack, the RTA’s de facto chief of staff, who is on loan from Gov. Rick Snyder’s administration to help the authority. “There’s a lot of reasons for choosing 2016 over 2014. Just timing for one thing. There could be a lot of competing things on the ballot. It’s probably not the best time.”
Those who argue against putting the measure on the ballot in 2014 say it might get lost in the busy ballot that includes the races for governor, U.S. Senate and House. They also say authorities need more time to promote the measure.
Sure, there's good reason to delay the vote. But it's really not good enough.
The word "urgency" has been missing from those who are in charge of moving our public transportation forward.
Boston, New York, Chicago and even LA (though certainly not the best example) have trains and subways. Those cities that have buses and light rail -- like Portland and Seattle -- do a great job of moving people around town.
This agency needs to figure out how to spell U-R-G-E-N-C-Y, and quick.
