Will Metro Detroit Voters See Another Transit Millage on the 2018 Ballot?
Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel joins Detroit Today to talk transit and recap State of the County Speech
Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel delivered his State of the County speech on Wednesday night at the Macomb Center for the Performing Arts.
He talked at length about the issues of immigration and population growth. Hackel also highlighted balanced budgets and increased educational opportunities among residents. And he addressed the more unseemly sides of Macomb’s recent history.
Hackel joins Detroit Today with Stephen Henderson to talk further about those issues, and some others that did not come up during the speech.
Click here to hear Hackel’s full State of the County speech and see WDET’s coverage of the address
One issue that was missing from the address was the chance that voters might see another millage proposal on the ballot in 2018 to fund a new regional transit system. Voters narrowly rejected a similar millage proposal to fund the Regional Transit Authority in 2016. Hackel was lukewarm on that proposal, but he and Macomb County officials decided not to block the measure from appearing on the ballot.
Hackel says the outcome of any new proposal — and whether or not he decides to endorse it — will depend on what the plan looks like.
“Just having somebody throw a plan together and having Mark Hackel get out there with cheerleading efforts to try to support this and make it pass in Macomb County isn’t going to be enough,” he says, “because the voters are going to look through that to make a determination as they vote – what is it in it for them? What’s is the benefit to them?”
Click on the audio player above to hear the full conversation.
