By Shelby Stewart-Soldan
Staff Writer
Brandon Twp. — During the regular Monday night meeting, the township board voted 7-0 to pass a resolution in opposition of taxing local government and residents for the proposed public transit millage.
“Most of the communities I’ve been talking with have already passed this, so we’re one of the last couple to bring it to our board,” said supervisor Jayson Rumball.
The millage proposal in question is the Oakland County Public Transportation Millage. If approved, would authorize Oakland County to levy .95 mills for 10 years for the purpose of funding public transportation services. It would replace an expiring millage levied by the OCPTA that supports the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) and fund replacement of other local public transportation millages. If approved and levied, the revenue would be distributed to Oakland County, SMART, the North Oakland Transportation Authority, and the Older Persons’ Commission and the Western Oakland Transportation Authority. Expenditures would be subject to oversight by the Oakland County Board of Commissioners.
According to the resolution, which is available on the township website, the charter township of Brandon opposes the proposed system because there is currently no plan for utilization of the levied funds, and impacted communities cannot opt out, unlike the current system.
The .95 mills would be a tax increase of $95 per $100,000 of taxable value of a property per year, for ten years. The resolution also states that the township would receive no discernible benefit and that the majority of township residents’ mode of transportation would remain using their individual vehicle, not public transportation.
Megan Owens, executive director of the advocacy group Transportation Riders United, said the Connect Oakland plan proposed by the Oakland County Commission is about Oakland County funding the mobility options for each community.
“The goal is to ensure none of our Oakland neighbors are ever trapped at home because they can’t drive,” said Owens. “A growing number of our elderly neighbors can no longer safely drive but want to remain in their homes. Sometimes family or friends can provide rides, but not always.”
“Right now, NOTA will take their residents to destinations in Brandon Township, but Brandon residents cannot use it,” she said. “If this countywide transit measure is passed, NOTA is likely to expand throughout Brandon and Groveland townships, ensuring your elderly neighbors have a safe, independent way to get to their doctor, grocery store, and elsewhere.”