Successful cities have seized on the broad appeal of transit to attract financial support. We were able to build a coalition of cities, counties, environmentalists, and the chamber of commerce. That kind of public-private support is exactly what Washington D.C. wanted to see. Because federal funding is heavily weighted toward launching train systems, and Michigan isn't planning one. The state instead has a policy of shortchanging transit while stuffing more money into road construction.
Transit is eligible under the state Constitution to receive twice as much.
Gov. Engler has not only blocked attempts to move any money from roads to transit but also cut transit out of new funding. Local governments are doing what they can to support state-neglected transit systems. In west Michigan, residents and businesses pulled off a big win last year when their campaign for a property tax increase to improve the metropolitan Grand Rapids bus system passed with an impressive 65 percent approval. Still, the added funding was only enough to add some Sunday service and extend evening hours to 8 p.m. Metropolitan Detroit's overall transit funding, however, is far behind that of other major cities.