SHELBY TOWNSHIP, Mich. – Leaders from Oakland and Macomb counties met Tuesday with Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) General Manager John C. Hertel to discuss "The Future of Regional Transit."
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Macomb County Executive Mark A. Hackel and Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson both spoke.
- Watch the full news conference above.
The event promoted the SMART Millage and Service Expansion. SMART officials say the 1 mill proposal is a renewal of what voters approved back in 2014 when voters in Wayne, Macomb and Oakland counties approved the property tax increase to help SMART operate.
The proposal is expected to appear on the August Primary ballot in Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties.
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Meanwhile, Wayne County released its first draft of a new transit plan with the hopes of being included on the 2018 Michigan ballot. Wayne County Executive Warren Evans revealed the plan to the Regional Transit Authority in March.
The plan is being called "Connect Southeast Michigan," and it will call for a 1.5 mill property tax levy on Wayne, Washtenaw, Oakland and Macomb counties.
The millage is projected to raise $5.4 billion over 20 years to fund expanded regional transit service and plan forward flexible transit innovations as technology changes the transportation and mobility industries.
The average house in the RTA region is worth $157,504, meaning it would cost $118 a year, which is less than $10 per month.