Based on a quick phone conversation with WATS staff just now, 80% of the FY2011 WATS budget of $599,129 came from the federal government. WATS also receives revenue from local units in the form of membership dues. Washtenaw County pays $20,000 per year. Paying $13,000 each are the Washtenaw County Road Commission, the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority, and the University of Michigan. Eastern Michigan University pays $7,500 a year. The city of Ann Arbor, the city of Ypsilanti, Ypsilanti Township, and Pittsfield Township pay based on population.

I understand that to mean that WATS is funded with state and federal transportation money.

Having AATA – our single-city, Act 55 transit authority – plan for county-wide service seems like a bit of overreaching. Similarly, WATS participation in planning commuter rail service to the far reaches of urban sprawl (Wayne and Livingston counties), seems to be beyond their area of authority. I suppose the next step is for Ann Arbor residents to subsidize the commuter rail trips of those living outside our county.

The reason that I ask is that this is the second project in recent memory that WATS has been involved in that also included AATA. The first project is the Wally train that was proposed to operate between Ann Arbor and Howell. In that project WATS played a leading role in organizing meetings and getting funding commitments for the project before AATA got involved. That project was projected to start within 2-years of AATA getting involved in Oct. 2008 – where most other commuter-rail projects have a multi-year timeline. I see a similarity here: again there is a big project that the community isn’t really sure it wants but WATS seems to be saying it has to happen *right now.* Is this really what WATS is set up to do?

I personally don’t think the county needs comprehensive transit, so I am happy to see hard questions being asked.

Also, last week I saw an AATA bus with a large sign on it saying “It’s your comprehensive countywide transportation plan” or something similar. I am not thrilled by the use of public dollars to campaign for this plan.

Not mentioned in the article, Act 204 of 1967, MCL 124.401 to 124.425. Section five of Act 204 provided that “The southeastern Michigan transportation authority which shall include the counties of Livingston, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, St. Clair, Washtenaw, and Wayne is established, but a county choosing not to participate in the authority may withdraw by a resolution of withdrawal . . .” Washtenaw County elected to withdraw from that regional transit system.

Act 196 of 1986: [link]

Act 55 of 1963: [link]