Political Quotes

“I fully support the remarks of my fellow Michigan Senator regarding the unfair distribution of transit funds, and how the Senate must insist on the higher total funding level of $20 million for the State of Michigan. However, I wish to further elaborate on the distribution of these funds within the State of Michigan. The Michigan Department of Transportation has provided our offices with a project by project breakdown of this distribution, which Senator Levin has introduced. Per the fiscal year 1996 Transportation Appropriations Conference report, the full $1.23 million final project funding is recommended for the Lansing Intermodal Facility. Furthermore, we, in coordination with the Michigan Department of Transportation [MDOT], recommend that at least $1.8 million be appropriated for the Grand Rapids Area Transit Authority, and at least $900,000 to the Kalamazoo Transit Authority for buses and an intermodal facility. Finally, MDOT believes that as a start-up project, no more than $764,000 is needed for the Dearborn Intermodal Facility. No more than the remaining $7.13 million, in our coordinated opinion with MDOT, should be appropriated to MDOT for statewide distribution.”