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HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - 2018.05.17 - 23619MISCELLANEOUS RESOLUTION #18221 BY: Commissioners Helaine Zack, District#18; David Woodward, District #19; David Bowman, District #10; Gary McGillivray, District #20; Marcia Gershenson, District #13; IN RE: BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS — SUPPORT FOR LETTING VOTERS DECIDE ON THE REGIONAL TRANSIT AUTHORITY'S CONNECT SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN TRANSIT PLAN To the Oakland County Board of Commissioners Chairperson, Ladies and Gentlemen: WHEREAS Public Act 387 of 2012, MCL 124.541 et seq., created the Regional Transit Authority Act, which established a new regional transit authority within a defined "public transit region" which composed of Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, and Washtenaw Counties; and WHEREAS the Regional Transit Authority (RTA) serves as a planning and coordinating agency with respect to the providers of public transportation services within the region; and WHEREAS the RTA has authority to coordinate operating and capital transit plans and levy a property tax assessment and/or a local option vehicle registration tax within the public transit region under specific conditions established under Section 10 of the Act; and WHEREAS according to the Detroit Regional Chamber and the RTA board the lack of a truly regional cohesive public transit system is holding back southeast Michigan; and WHEREAS a robust transit system can attract development, businesses, tourism and conventions, it helps connect people to jobs, making the region more economically prosperous and competitive; and WHEREAS the RTA's, Connect Southeast Michigan, addresses the region's economic and demographic concerns, providing Oakland County an opportunity to provide convenience and connect people with jobs, as well as attracting and retaining young talent; and WHEREAS a coalition of 23 regional CEOs representing most of the largest companies in metro Detroit are in support of the Connect Southeast Michigan regional mass transit plan, these include CEOs from DIE Energy, Rock Ventures, Ralph F. Wilson Jr. Foundation, Ford Motor Company, Hitch Holdings, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Michigan Capital Partners, Strategic Staffing Solutions, The Kresge Foundation, Lear Corporation, General Motors Company, American Axle, Quicken Loans, Henry Ford Health System, Masco, PVS Chemicals, Penske Corporation, Detroit Medical Center, Beaumont Health, Taubman Centers Incorporated and Forbes Company; and WHEREAS the 23 regional CEO coalition has weighed in and believe public policy transportation issues are crippling the region's economic recovery and progress, evident by the recent Amazon decision to forgo the metro Detroit region as a possible location for a second corporate headquarters, HQ2; and WHEREAS Amazon cited the "lack of a workable regional transit system" as one of a few factors in the omission of metro Detroit on that short list of finalists; and WHEREAS the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) has conducted studies to find: 1. For every $1 invested in public transportation generates $4 in economic returns, and 2. For every $1 billion invested in public transportation supports and creates more than 50,000 jobs, and 3. For every $10 million in capital investment in public transportation yields $30 million in increased business sales, and 4. Home values performed forty-two percent (42%) better on average if they were located near public transportation with high frequency service; and WHEREAS the RIA's Connect Southeast Michigan plan has identified the projected economic impacts to the Southeast Michigan region over a 20-year period from 2018-2037, these projections include support of 67,000 new regional jobs, an added $6.6 billion in gross regional product and support increases to personal income of $4.5 billion; and WHEREAS based upon MCL124.550(4) legislation that mandates a minimum of eighty five percent, 85%, of the money raised in each member jurisdiction via the proposed millage be "...expended on the public transportation service routes located in that member jurisdiction.", this legislation will ensure Oakland County taxpayers see the return on investment from the annual contributions they make to the RTA; and WHEREAS the RTA's Connect Southeast Michigan mass transit plan could be used to leverage $1.3 billion in fares, as well as state and federal funds, to build a better-connected and more expansive transit system for Oakland County and regional residents; and WHEREAS according to the chief executives of Beaumont Hospital, Ascension Michigan, Detroit Medical Center and Henry Ford Health System, "affordable and accessible transit boosts public health by making communities more walkable, providing greater ability to access health services and quality food. The Commissione District #10 region's lack of transit increases the number of missed appointments, causing delays in care that often result in emergency room visits that put patients at unnecessary risk. In addition, transit barriers inhibit patients from filing prescriptions, which can result in missed work days, increased healthcare costs and damage long-term health in our region." NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners calls upon the Oakland County appointees to the Regional Transit Authority to approve a November ballot vote for the region identified in the Connect Southeast Michigan mass transit plan. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Oakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds is requested to forward copies of this adopted resolution to members of the Regional Transit Authority Board of Directors, the members of the Oakland County Michigan Legislative DelegatioArapd the Oakland Coupty Executive. Chairperson, we move the adoption of the forgoing resolutio Commissioner District # Commissioner District # Commissioner District # Commissioner District # Commissioner District # Cornmissioner District # Commissioner District # Commissioner District # Commissioner District # Commissioner District # Commissioner District # Commissioner District # Commissioner District # Commissioner District # Resolution #18221 May 17, 2018 The Chairperson referred the resolution to the General Government Committee. There were no objections.