It's one thing for politicians to bicker with each other. It's another for them to be at odds with the region's biggest employers.
Business leaders are hoping they can change the conversation. More than 200 local CEOs announced their support for a regional transit system at the 2018 Mackinac Policy Conference on Wednesday afternoon.
Sandy Baruah, president and CEO of the Detroit Regional Chamber said a rapid transit system will ensure a healthier labor market in the future.
“SMART opt-out communities like Bloomfield Hills, Livonia and Novi have thousands of open jobs that are completely inaccessible by public transit, leaving those communities behind in the chase for talent,” said Baruah. “The most successful regions require a regional system to attract talent, get employees to work and customers to businesses’ front door. Our regional leadership should start leading the region to a more prosperous future.”
Less than six months before election day, there is no current regional transit plan certain to be on the 2018 ballot - and yet, those trying to move Detroit to a new transit model are growing increasingly glum about its prospects for this year.
Last week, Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson called Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan a creep and said he won't be muscled into being the money for a plan too many communities in his county don't want.
Watch Devin Scillian's full story on regional transit from Mackinac Island in the video player above.