The Hamburg Township Board followed the shortsighted example of the Livingston County Board of Commissioners and turned down a request to kick in $1,0000 last week for an environmental review of the proposed site of a train depot for the Washtenaw Livingston Line (WALLY) commuter rail line from Howell to Brighton.
The all-Republican Board of Commissioners voted last month not to contribute any funds, and to also not be a part of the coalition that wants to form a taxing authority. The all-GOP Township Board was asked to pitch in a mere $1,000 for the station proposed for the Featherly Road extension east of Hamburg Road, and the reaming $6,488 would be picked up by the other entities in the project. The answer was apparently, thanks but no thanks to the $6,488.
Partners in the project include the City of Howell, the Greater Brighton Chamber of Commerce, Washtenaw County and the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority.
Before any of the $500,000 in federal funds for station design and improvements can be spent, environmental clearance is required. It would consist of, according to an October 8 memo from Hamburg Township Supervisor Cindy pine, a review of historical documents and a limited field survey or dig to rule out any archeological remains.
A move to establish a mass transit hub in Howell and Livingston County has been ongoing since the mid 1990's, but there was hope this latest effort would succeed because of the strong commitment of the coalition members, high gas prices and the backups experienced along U.S. 23, the north/south highway to Ann Arbor where many Livingston County residents work.
Plans for a rail line between Ann Arbor and Detroit are steaming along, and the Ann Arbor to Detroit Regional Rail Project could see its first train hit the rails in just over a year. The effort in Livingston County remains derailed by shortsighted government officials, and a link all the way to Detroit remains a dream. With these two boards we see the danger of having just one party on the board for so long, and another voice would be a breath of fresh air.
5 comments:
A "mere" $1,000. Well that again shows the Democratic mentality. It's someone else's money, so go ahead and spend it.
Well, you've got all those great Democrats who are ready to become the majority in Livingston County. Why not ask each of them to pitch in a dime? All you need is 10,000 of them. Then you can offer to pay Hamburg's share. Of course, you would have to find a) 10,000 people who would admit to being a Democrat; and b) 10,000 Democrats who want to spend their own money.
Good luck with that.
Yes, a mere $1,000. That’s just a fraction of the tax dollars that are spent on roads like U.S. 23 every year. It’s not someone else’s money, some of it is mine. I am a homeowner in the City of Howell, and they are kicking in $800 of the tax money I directly contributed. I can guarantee you I pitch in more than a fricking dime. My city can kick in money, but the municipality where the station we be located can’t kick in its fair share?
Communist guru is at it again. "Kick in its fair share." Why don't you set up a private authority to "kick in?"
Communist guru likes to write about his military service. You see, he spent years in the Navy, not because of his love of the military, but because he is a person often referred to by fellow service members as "can’t make it on the outside." The non combat military life was perfect for him because he had someone else to run his life. When to go to bed, when to get up, three squares and a place to sleep. He is a loser. Tell us guru, how many jobs have you burned through since the Navy?? You can’t keep a job because you are inept. Now you want big brother government and the union to take care of you after the Navy parented you for most of your adult life. You need someone to wipe your ass for you, so everyone else should pay into big government so it can take care of clowns like you. You are full of contempt for the free market because it demands self responsibility. You need someone to take care of you because you don't have the strength or intelligence to make it on your own. You are a life long loser... pretty pathetic, really. Sorry, but most of the rest of us can make it on our own. Sorry you can’t survive on your own merit, but that doesn't mean the rest of us need to tuck you in at night.
Comments like the last one encourage me to create a name...I don't want that anonymous post associated with mine. (I'm the one the Guru keeps accusing of being Brett or Filip or someone.)
I disagree with that Guru a lot, but I hope I never stoop to the nastiness of the above post.
It's really uncalled for.
Wow. Somebody should look into an anger management class. It’s pretty easy to make false, disgusting charges anonymously. If I didn’t know any better I would say this is brett. This fits his MO. It’s funny; the right goes berserk when anybody questions John McCain’s military service, but it’s OK when they do it. So much for the right’s lip service of supporting the troops.
First, I’m not a Communist, and I spent most of my adult life fighting Communism. Why don’t we set up a private authority to kick in for the roads?
I’m proud of my military service, and no loser like you is going to change that. What the hell would you know how any service member refers to another. I know I have never heard anyone refer to someone as "can’t make it on the outside."
There were many reasons I decided to make a career in the military, but I know a loser like you would never have made it out of Boot Camp. As for the military running your life, I guess you could say the same thing for John McCain and the thousands of other retired military members. I had no idea you hated the military so much. Perhaps you should do a hitch to break that false myth you hold of it.
It’s really none of your business, but I have lost one job since I left the military. I’m not happy or proud of it, but I’m not ashamed of it either. It was unjust, and I’m not the first person nor will I be the last to get fired from a job. I have never been part of a union, but I know how they have raised the standard of living in this country for all.
When you can counter the arguments on why the Hamburg Township made a mistake in not funding their share for the train depot, which is what this post was about, come on back. I won’t hold my breath.
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