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Howes: Let the people vote on Regional Transit Authority

A DDOT bus in Detroit.
Sarah Hulett
/
Michigan Radio
A DDOT bus in Detroit.

It's no secret that the mass transit picture in Southeast Michigan is beyond dismal.

A staggering 92% of jobs in Wayne, Oakland, Macomb and Washtenaw counties are not reachable by public transportation.

A $4.6 billion, 20-year plan to expand public transportation would address this problem by setting up the Regional Transit Authority. But today, officials from Macomb and Oakland counties voted to reject the plan. 

Among those who raised objections to the plan prior to the vote are Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson and Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel. 

Though officials voted down the plan today, they could decide to vote again in time to put it on the November ballot.

Daniel Howes joined Stateside today to talk about the RTA plan.

GUEST Daniel Howes is columnist and associate business editor of The Detroit News. He tweets @DanielHowes_TDN.

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Stateside is produced daily by a dedicated group of producers and production assistants. Listen daily, on-air, at 3 and 8 p.m., or subscribe to the daily podcast wherever you like to listen.
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