THE AATA SPENT about $1.4 million on consultants, marketing and collateral materials to shape and pitch to Washtenaw County  residents a proposed $500 million regional transit plan. The amount spent did not include hundreds of hours of staff time or taxpayer dollars used by then AATA CEO Michael Ford to wine and dine county politicians. How would AATA fund the $500 million dollar proposed plan? The AATA Board conducted studies, employed consultants and allocated AATA staff hours before ever identifying a way to pay for the transit scheme. The proposal imploded when virtually every county municipality and township, after having been automatically opted in, withdrew from the regional transit group launched by a newly-formed AAATA.

A similar scenario played out at the Feb. 17 Ann Arbor City Council meeting during the discussion about whether to vote to accept the recommendations of a study concerning the extensive redevelopment of the Washtenaw Ave. corridor as it runs through multiple jurisdictions. The proposed improvements could cost, eventually, tens of millions of dollars and most of the proposed improvements would take place in Pittsfield and Ypsilanti Twps.

During the discussion at the Feb 17 City Council meeting, Council member Mike Anglin (D-Ward 5) pointed out that a funding source to pay for the proposed improvements has not been identified. Council member Jack Eaton (D-Ward 4) reminded the public that supporters of the improvement plan had put forward the idea of using tax-increment financing (TIF) to pay for the redevelopment. TIF financing would divert money from the Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti Public Schools. We can’t support redevelopment of the Washtenaw corridor paid for with money skimmed from local public schools.

In Ann Arbor, AAPS Superintendent Dr. Swift has shown herself capable of returning money to the district’s fund balance, but it’s a miniscule amount in comparison to the more than $25 million drawn out of the fund balance since 2000. Ypsilanti Public Schools are under the gun, financially, as well as under attack from an enhanced Schools of Choice campaign launched by Dr. Swift in 2014. AAPS has siphoned students and state funding away from the Ypsilanti school district.

No one doubts that redevelopment along Washtenaw Ave. would benefit all of the communities through which the avenue runs. Ann Arbor’s Complete Streets initiative is a forward-looking strategy that takes into account non-motorized modes of transportation when redesigning our cityscape, including our major roads.

However, we expect Ann Arbor’s mayor and elected officials to practice fiscal responsibility when deliberating proposals such as Reimagine Washtenaw. Ward 2 Council member Kirk Westphal has participated on the “stakeholders” committee charged with shaping the Reimagine Washtenaw plans and proposals. Yet, when questions about financing for the proposed improvements arose, he remained silent about Reimagine Washtenaw’s proposed tax-increment financing plan. In fact, Westphal allowed the public to remain ignorant of his long-time involvement with the Reimagine Washtenaw group as a volunteer committee member.

We ask our local elected officials to be visionaries and to keep their feet firmly planted in fiscal reality. It’s time for City Council to practice ready, aim, fire leadership in Reimaging Washtenaw.