By Shelby Stewart
Staff Writer
Brandon Twp.- On Monday night, the township board of trustees voted 7-0 to oppose House Bill 5550, which pertains to the Regional Transit Authority.
“They’re trying to push another bill through Lansing that would allow for the whole county to be taxed for mass transit, instead of a core service area,” said Kathy Thurman, township supervisor. “I went to Lansing last Friday to testify in front of the transportation committee, opposing that bill. They ended up voting it through anyway.”
While the transportation committee passed it on to the House of Representatives, it was then re-referred it to the committee on Government Operations, setting it aside while the House focused on other matters.
“They only came up with this bill last week,” said Thurman.
The bill, introduced on Feb. 25, would allow for Oakland, Wayne and Washtenaw counties to tax their residents up to three mills for a regional transit system.
House Bill 5550 is just one of a few bills currently in various house committees pertaining to the RTA.
Recently, Brandon and Groveland townships voted to oppose House Bill 5229, which would allow the RTA millage to be increased up to five mills. Senator Ruth Johnson (R-14th District), recently introduced legislation to allow cities, townships and villages in Oakland County to opt out of any joint endeavor their county government might try to establish under the Municipal Partnership Act. Senate Bill 795 would allow townships to opt out of the RTA services if a new millage is implemented. So far, no house bill has been voted through to raise the millage for RTA.