Governor Whitmer Signs Landmark Transit and Economic Development Legislation

Standing at the crossroads of progress and equity, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has enacted a pivotal legislative change that will reshape the future of transit and taxation in Wayne County. On Friday, Whitmer signed into law a measure that mandates the inclusion of 17 Wayne County communities in countywide transit property tax votes, eliminating their longstanding ability to opt out. The move ensures all 43 communities in the county will now participate collectively in deciding the future of the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) bus system—a regional lifeline for many residents. & This decision comes amid a broader slate of legislation signed by the Democratic governor, including a data center tax break package and a measure empowering Visit Detroit to raise its hotel room assessment for tourism promotion in Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties. Whitmer also vetoed 11 bills, all advanced by Democrats, that included proposals to penalize companies moving call centers outside the United States and to require them to notify the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity. & The new law has profound implications for the 17 communities that have long resisted participation in the county’s transit system, including Livonia, Canton Township, and Northville. For...