Funding Transit Operations and Coalition Building

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• Funding Transit Operations and Coalition Building
• 2009 Transit Initiatives and Communities
  Conference

Kevin Wisselink The Rapid June 2009
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A New Plan

• Six area mayors came together and agreed to
  create a new transit authority with the power to
  levy taxes
• Funding was through property taxes for operation
  of the transit system
• Agreed to a funding rate that basically doubled
  local transit funding
• This was in an area that had never had a
  dedicated transit tax before

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A Coalition is Built

• Business Leaders
• Non Profit Organizations
• Elected Officials
• Religious Community

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Faith in Motion

• An interfaith coalition of 65 religious
  communities in the greater Grand Rapids area
• Main goals are to
• raise awareness of the importance of public
  transportation to the community
• work towards the creation of a comprehensive
  public transportation system in the greater Grand
  Rapids area
• Coalition worked with Friends of Transit group
  to make sure its message coordinated with the
  transit campaign message

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Member Organizations
ACCESS Calvin CRC Catholic Human Development
Outreach Catholic Information Center Church
Council of Plymouth Congregational UCC Church of
the Servant CRC City Restoration Ministries
Clancy Street Ministries Community Rebuilders
Comstock Park Congregational UCC Congregational
Ahavas Israel Diocese of Grand Rapids (Catholic)
Divine Grace Ministries Church Eastern Avenue
CRC East Congregational UCC Faith United
Methodist Church First Church of the Nazarene
First (Park) Congregational Church First United
Methodist Church Grand Rapids Area Center for
Ecumenism Grace Episcopal Church Grand
Rapids Dominicans Grand Rapids Friends Meeting
Grand Valley Deanery of the Episcopal Diocese
of West Michigan Guardian Angel Homes, Inc.
Guiding Light Mission Heartside Ministries
Hope Lutheran Church Holy Cross Episcopal
Church Immanuel Lutheran Church Ivanrest CRC
John Knox Community Food Pantry John Knox
Presbyterian Church
Madison Square CRC Messiah Baptist Church New
Life Church of God in Christ Olivet United
Methodist Church Orchard Hill Reformed Church
Plainfield United Methodist Church
Reconciliation Metropolitan Community Church
St. Alphonsus Catholic Church St. Andrews
Cathedral St. Andrews Episcopal Church St. John
Vianney Catholic Church St. Lukes Lutheran
Church St. Marks Episcopal Church St. Marys
Catholic Church St. Stephens Catholic Church
St. Pius X Catholic Church St. Thomas the
Apostle Catholic Church SS. Peter and Paul
Catholic Church SECOM Ministries Servants
Community Church Sherman Street CRC South
United Methodist Church Steepletown Ministries
Temple Emanuel The Other Way Ministries
Trinity Lutheran Church Trinity Reformed Church
United Methodist Community House United
Methodist Ministry of Greater Grand Rapids West
Michigan Conference, United Methodist Church
Westminster Food Pantry Westminster
Presbyterian Church Wyoming Park Bible
Fellowship
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The Result? 65 vote of support!

• Allowed for the formation of The Rapid, a new
  transit agency
• Transit service expanded greatly
• Service until 1130 PM on weeknights
• New Sunday service and expanded Saturday
  service
• New Routes create
• Dedicated funding base

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Perceptions of The Rapid
89 of voters and 86 of riders rate The Rapids
job performance as either very good or good.
Voters Perception of The Rapids Service
Riders Perception of The Rapids Service
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2004 Transit System of the Year

• The Rapid received the prestigious Outstanding
  Public Transportation System of the Year Award
  for 2004 from the American Public Transportation
  Association.
• The Rapid was selected over nearly 80 peer
  systems across the country.
• The award is based on such things as ridership
  levels, service efficiency, safety, and customer
  service.

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The Result Ridership more than doubles
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Funding Renewal and Increase

• Funding questions were placed on the ballot in
  2004 and 2007, both for funding renewals with a
  small increase
• Both passed easily, by 65 in 2004 and 59 in
  2007
• This allowed for further expansion of The Rapids
  services

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2009 Bus Rapid Transit Election More supporters
than ever

• Mayor Cindy Bartman - City of East Grand Rapids
  Mayor James R Buck - City of GrandvilleMayor
  George Heartwell - City of Grand RapidsMayor
  Rick Root - City of KentwoodMayor Carol S.
  Sheets - City of WyomingMayor Rob VerHeulen -
  City of WalkerU.S. Congressman Vern
  EhlersSenator Bill HardimanSenator Mark
  JansenRev. Robert Dean - State
  RepresentativeKevin Green - State
  RepresentativeTom Pearce - State
  RepresentativeRoy Schmidt - State
  RepresentativeTony Baker - Grand Rapids School
  Board MemberRosalynn Bliss - Grand Rapids City
  CommissionerM. Scott Bowen - State Lottery
  CommissionerSharon Brinks - Kentwood City
  CommissionerDick Bulkowski - Kent County
  CommissionerWilliam R. Byl - Kent County Drain
  CommissionerRichard Clanton - Kentwood City
  CommissionerAmy Coretti - East Grand Rapids City
  CommissionerRobert D. Coughlin - Kentwood City
  CommissionerKeith Courtade - Kent County
  Commissioner Brandon Dillon - Kent County
  CommissionerSandi Frost Parrish - Kent County
  CommissionerWalt Gutowski - Grand Rapids City
  CommissionerCarol Hennessy - Kent County
  CommissionerPete Hickey - Kent County
  CommissionerBill Hirsch - Kent County
  Commissioner

• Ellen James - GRCC Board of TrusteesJames
  Jendrasiak - Grand Rapids City CommissionerDavid
  La Grand - Grand Rapids City CommissionerElias
  Lumpkins - Grand Rapids City CommissionerStan
  Ponstein - Kent County CommissionerAmna Seibold
  - East Grand Rapids City CommissionerArneada
  Smith-Alexander - Grand Rapids School Board
  MemberBob Synk - Kent County CommissionerJim
  Talen - Kent County CommissionerJames Vaughn -
  Kent County CommissionerWilliam Ver Hulst - City
  Commissioner Mayor Pro Tem, WyomingJames W.
  White - Grand Rapids City Commissioner
• Association for the Blind Visually
  ImpairedAuburn Hills Neighborhood
  AssociationBlack Hills Citizens for a Better
  CommunityBurton Heights Business
  AssociationClean Water Action Coalition to End
  HomelessnessConcerned Citizens for Improved
  TransitCreston Business Association Disability
  Advocates of Kent CountyDivision Avenue Business
  AssociationDwelling Place of Grand Rapids,
  MIErhardt ConstructionEssential Needs Task
  Force Food SubcommitteeFair Housing Center of
  West MichiganFaith in MotionGuardian Angel
  HomesGrand Rapids Downtown AllianceThe Grand
  Rapids Area Center for EcumenismGrand Rapids
  Area Chamber of Commerce Grand Rapids City
  CommissionGrand Rapids Area Coalition to End
  Homelessness

Grand Rapids Community College Board of
TrusteesHansen-Balk Steel TreatingHeartside
Business AssociationHeartside Downtown
Neighborhood AssociationHeartside
MinistryHoekstra TransportationHope
NetworkIndependent Research AssociatesInner
City Christian FederationJustice and Peace Task
Force of Plymouth UCCKent County Democratic
PartyKentwood City CommissionLocus
DevelopmentMetropolitan HospitalMichigan League
of Conservation VotersNantz, Litowich, Smith,
Girard HamiltonNeighbors of Belknap
LookoutPlaza Towers Residential Condominium
Association BoardProgressive AEProgressive
Women's AllianceSaint AlphonsusSaint Mary's
Health CareSpectrum HealthSt. Anthony of Padua
Steepletown Ministries Transportation Riders
UnitedUAW Community Action ProgramUnited Growth
for Kent CountyWalker City CommissionWest
Fulton Business AssociationWest Michigan
Environmental Action CouncilWest Michigan
Hispanic Chamber of CommerceWyoming-Kentwood
Area Chamber of Commerce  
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But it results in a setback

• Even with substantial support from many parts of
  the community, an election setback can still
  occur
• The Rapids 2009 ballot question generated 47
  support
• Reasons for the setback?
• More complex question on the ballot
• Economic situation in Michigan
• Voters did not fully understand the questions
  and the implications for the region

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Lessons in Community Collaboration

• Public transportation can enjoy wide support from
  many different parts of the community
• (Republicans, Democrats, businesses, churches,
  etc.)
• Find which elements of your community will
  resonate with the voters
• Make sure that all elements of your coalition are
  speaking with a unified voice
• Ensure that voters fully understand the question
  they are voting on and its implications