For Immediate Release
September 21, 2009
Contact: Clark Harder, Executive Director
The Michigan Public Transit Association (MPTA) today blasted the budget agreement forged by Legislative leaders that would transfer $11.5 million from the Comprehensive Transportation Fund (CTF) to cover General Fund shortfalls.
“CTF money is, by statute, protected funding, to be used solely to fund public transportation investment projects, including local bus operations and bus capital match funding that brings a 4-1 return of federal funding to Michigan, along with rail passenger and rail freight operations. But once again, the Legislature seems bound to shortchange the CTF and strand Michigan residents who depend on these services,” stated Clark Harder, Executive Director of the MPTA.
“Apparently we’ve reached the point in Michigan where legislators believe we don’t need $1.2 billion of investment in job creation and our infrastructure. That’s what the Legislature is jeopardizing in federal funding if this proposal goes through,” Harder said.
Our statewide transit system provided 100 million passenger trips last year - a 7% increase over the prior year. Nationwide, the most common purpose for a transit trip is getting to and from work. The second most common use is getting to and from school. Cuts in state support will result in service cuts at the local level which means people cannot get to their jobs or job training, making Michigan's economic recovery even more difficult.
This is not the first time that state legislators have raided funds designated for the specific use of public transportation, with a total of over $120 million taken over the past dozen years. “We recognize the significant state budget crisis but it is simply inappropriate of legislators to continuously raid funds that the public trusts are earmarked for transportation purposes,” Harder said.
The MPTA urges citizens to contact their legislators as well as Speaker Andy Dillon and Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop and tell them to “keep their hands off public transit funding” as a way to bail out the state’s general fund shortfall.