The Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation, better known as SMART, shared some good news yesterday.
The Oakland County Board of Commissioners approved placing the SMART millage question before voters on the August 5, 2014 primary election. Oakland's county commission board was the last of the tri-county region needed to approve the ballot initiative.
"We re pleased that each of the County Commissions is giving their constituents the opportunity to vote in August,” John C. Hertel, general manager, said in a statement. “SMART provides an important service to the region by helping tens of thousands of people everyday get to work, school, medical appointments and shopping.”
The proposal is a 1.0 mill, a bump of .41 mills. Not sure what the hell that means? According to Transportation Riders United, a home valued at $100,000 would pay an estimated $50 annually, if the millage is approved. That would be a tax-hike of about $25 to $35 from current levels.The bus system services about 40,000 riders daily, with more than 230 fixed-route buses operating seven days a week. The millage would generate close to $100 million over five years, if approved.
