Mike Levin: “We have sent the chart to the Michigan House Members whose districts are affected. Because of the short time, explicit…”

“We have sent the chart to the Michigan House Members whose districts are affected. Because of the short time, explicit support for this arrangement has not been received from all of them. However, this distribution appears to be a fair compromise between the House and the Senate committees report language. Barring any significant objection from Michigan's House Members, I urge the conferees to retain the total Senate funding level of $20 million provided for section 3 transit projects and accommodate the distribution in the chart. I would hope that the distinguished chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee would do his utmost to preserve the Senate level in conference. As the Senator from Oregon is aware, his State is a donor State like Michigan, and as such, receives less than an even return on the gas taxes contributed into the Highway Trust Fund, from which transit funds are derived. Though that return was improved by ISTEA for highways, States like Michigan, and I suspect Oregon, continue to be significant donor States on transit projects. This formula matter must be addressed when Congress next takes up reauthorization of ISTEA.”