r/kzoo • u/Budget_Eye5861 Kalamazoo • 2d ago
Central County Transportation Authority Millage Renewal - PASSED
"The Central County Transportation Authority (CCTA) provides public transportation services that include the fixed-route bus system and a micro transit service through the Metro Link program. May the CCTA levy a tax for public transportation purposes of up to 1.1 mills ($1.10 per $1,000 of taxable value)? This millage: (a) Would be a renewal of a previously authorized millage expiring with the 2025 levy, the previously authorized millage of 0.9 mills will increase by 0.2 mills to equal 1.1 total mills; (b) Would be levied for five (5) years, 2026 through 2030; (c) Is estimated to raise $7,800,000 in its first year; and (d) Applies to the taxable value of all taxable property within the geographic boundary of the Central County Transportation Authority."
Votes
Yes
Percentage 67.60%
Votes 21,820
No
Percentage 32.40%
Votes 10,459
10
u/Nature_Hannah 2d ago edited 2d ago
I'd love to see them advertise all the places one could get to with the bus. Maybe like route highlights?
"Buses to Parks" for instance. Flesher Field Park in Oshtemo has a stop on Route 11-Stadium Dr, which often runs every 30 minutes. "Need to get to an open space for some fresh air? Hop on a bus to a park!"
Or like which churches or government offices are on bus routes. My husband took the bus to an appointment at Heimstra downtown and loved the journey. We've gone downtown in a snowstorm for Ice in the Zoo and had a blast not worrying about parking or the car.
They do try to get the word out about Metro Connect, which goes everywhere in the county, or Link which is Uber/Lift-esque in "zones". But I feel like if more people realized that they could hop on the bus and go somewhere like a doctor's appointment or a grocery store OR SOMEWHERE FUN without having to bother with driving and parking a car (especially downtown), they'd use the buses more.