Higher bus fares in Saginaw. Reduced service in Jackson. Many public transit systems across Michigan are already struggling. Unless the state comes through with more funding this year, more cuts are inevitable, and thousands of people around the state will be stranded without transit service.
Can you take two minutes to email your state legislators and Governor Whitmer, urging them to make transit funding a priority in the state budget?
The state budget was supposed to have been passed back in July, but the Michigan Legislature blew through that deadline. The budget must be approved by October 1 to avert a state government shutdown.
So it’s essential that we call up our legislators and the Governor now, urging them to make sure that public transit isn’t left on the chopping block.
There was once a time when the State of Michigan provided fully half the cost of operating public transit in urbanized areas, and even more for rural agencies. But those days are long gone. The Governor and State Legislature have a major impact on local bus service. The amount the State Budget gives to transit agencies influences if service cuts will occur, or if agencies can grow to serve the needs of riders.
The impacts various LBO funding proposals would have on service above.
Transit is a public good that benefits the whole state, but now transit agencies are forced to raise a larger share of their funding on their own, largely through local property taxes – which generate more money in some areas than others.
TRU and dozens of other organizations are urging the state to provide transit a full 10% share of all transportation dollars.
Over the long term, of course, we advocate for ending that 10% limit and providing more funding to meet our state’s transit needs.