Government
Transit officials worry about federal funding change
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By SAODAT ASANOVA-TAYLOR
Capital News Service
LANSING – County transportation authorities are criticizing a federal bill they say could hurt state mass transit funding by putting it on year-to-year life cycle. They have called on U.S Rep. Dave Camp, R-Midland, to send the plan back to the drawing board. The bill would withdraw fuel tax revenue for the mass transit fund from the Federal Highway Trust Fund and allow the money to be used for general transportation purposes on an annual rather than five-year cycle. According to Camp’s office, it would provide the same funding sources for mass transit, and the change means that the account could earn more interest than now. However, as written, critics say the federal bill does not clarify whether change would generate the amount of money.