Silver Line Millage Ballot

The Rapid Ballot Proposal
Ballot Request: 1.28 mills
1.12 mills renewal of the existing millage
0.16 mills enhancement to operate Silver Line rapid transit

Why is the Enhancement Needed?
The Rapid has secured federal and state funds for $40 million toward development, but now must show financial capacity to operate the system without a reduction in services. The millage increase will not be collected until July 2012 when the Silver Line launches.

What is the Silver Line?
Silver Line is more like a light rail system than traditional bus service. A proven solution in communities throughout the country, it has been positioned to maximize ridership opportunities, economic development potential, and travel-time savings. Silver Line vehicles will use:

dedicated lanes during peak times
in-station fare collection to speed boarding
intelligent transportation system applications such as signal priority, allowing quick travel between stations

The Cost

Renewal: 1.12 mills costs the owner of a $100,000 assessed value home $4.66 per month
Enhancement: 0.16 mills costs the owner of a $100,000 home ($50,000 taxable value) $0.75 per month
This millage increase would cover a period of five years beginning in 2012 when the Silver Line launches

Silver Line Millage Ballot Question

The ballot proposal for approval of this millage shall read as follows:

Shall The Rapid (Interurban Transit Partnership) levy a tax for public transportation purposes of up to 1.28 mills beginning in 2012? This millage would be a renewal of the 1.12 mills approved by the voters in 2007 and an addition of 0.16 mills. The 1.28 mills would replace the last year of the current millage for the year 2012. At least 0.16 mills would be used only for the Bus Rapid Transit (“BRT”) project currently being planned by The Rapid for implementation in 2012. This millage would cover a period of five (5) years, beginning in the year 2012 and continuing through 2016. It would be levied on the taxable value of all taxable property in The Rapid’s district (the six cities of East Grand Rapids, Grandville, Grand Rapids, Kentwood, Walker and Wyoming). This millage is estimated to raise $13,967,446 in its first year.

Tax increment revenues from this millage will be disbursed to each of the following tax increment authorities:

City of Grand Rapids: Downtown Development Authority, Monroe North Tax Increment Finance Authority, Smartzone Local Development Finance Authority and Brownfield Redevelopment Authority

City of Grandville: Downtown Development Authority

City of Walker: Downtown Development Authority and Brownfield Redevelopment Authority

City of Wyoming: Downtown Development Authority and Local Development Finance Authority