In an election marked by voters wanting to turn in another direction, it was cruise control Tuesday for the Bay Area Transportation Authority (BATA), whose request for a renewal of .35 mills for five years was overwhelmingly supported.

Voters in Leelanau and Grand Traverse counties approved by a more than 3-to-1 margin the renewal of BATA’s .35-mill levy that had been reduced to .3283 mills as a result of the Headlee Amendment to the state Constitution.
Obviously, I’m thrilled.
It showed a lot of
work by the everyday ridership.
—Jean Watkoski,
county commissioner and BATA board member

Voters did turn in another direction in the city commission race in Traverse City, however. (See story below.)

The proposal, which will allow BATA to continue all public transportation services, was approved in each of Leelanau County’s 13 voting precincts. The measure passed in Leelanau, 3,414-851 – nearly an 80 percent approval rate.

“Obviously, I’m thrilled,” said county commissioner and Elmwood Township resident Jean I. Watkoski, who is the Board of Commissioners’ representative on the BATA board of directors. “It showed a lot of work by the everyday ridership.”

Support was also great in the more heavily populated Grand Traverse County, where the renewal request was approved 13,855-3,990.

The millage combined two property tax millage approved in 2003: a .25-mill request for existing services, and a .10-mill request for new services. As part of its “new services,” BATA established three Village Connector routes — two in Leelanau and one in Grand Traverse. In addition to the Village Connector Empire route, similar runs were established in Northport and Kingsley/Fife Lake.

From Sept. 1, 2005 to Aug. 31, 2006, 4,755 people used the Northport route. That number jumped 6 percent to 5,970 in the next 12 months.

The Empire Connector Route was established in 2006. During its first year of service, 3,605 passengers used the route. Through the end of August, about 2,200 people have used the route, which was up from 2006.

High fuel costs may also have played a role in the election as more and more drivers are turning to public transportation as an alternative. The price of crude oil reached an all-time high of $97 a barrel Tuesday.

“Based on the input we’ve received from the Transit Council (made up of riders), more and more elderly are turning in their cars and riding the bus,” Watkoski said.

Joe DeKoning, a Lake Leelanau resident and executive director of BATA, said he was optimistic that the measure would pass. At the same time was wary given the state’s shaky economy and the recently adopted service tax.

“I think there’s a general feeling that (public transportation) is a necessary part of the infrastructure,” he said. “It’s more effective for those looking for a choice.”

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Estes is new mayor; TCAPS levy OK’d 

Voters who live in the southeastern corner of Leelanau County but reside in the City of Traverse City helped decide several races Tuesday.

Businessman Michael Estes defeated incumbent Linda Smyka to win the Traverse City mayor’s race in an unofficial vote tally of 2,801-1,536. Barbara Budros (2,822 votes) and Jim Carruthers (2,766) joined incumbent Ralph Soffredine (2,551) in winning seats on the city commission. Defeated were incumbent Scott Hardy (1,896) and Scott Sieffert (1,028). In addition, commissioner Chris Bzdok, who was unopposed, won a partial term on the city commission with 2,896 votes.

Traverse City voters also turned down a request to use money from the Brown Bridge Trust Fund to pay for repairs for streets and sidewalks in an unofficial vote of 2,378-1,946.

Twenty-nine of the 107 registered voters from Leelanau County who live in the City of Traverse City cast ballots Tuesday. They supported Estes over Smyka, 17-11. They also supported Soffredine (23 votes), Hardy (16) and Carruthers (14) in the city commission race.

Voters in Elmwood Township, and in Solon Township that is part of the Traverse City Area Public Schools district, also helped decide a request on whether to maintain the school system’s debt millage rate at 3.1 mills. The levy, which was supported by some 61 percent of voters (10,666-6,792) according to unofficial results, will generate $105 million for 10 years and be used for capital improvements to school buildings and technology upgrades. Elmwood Township voters opposed the measure, 642-612, while Solon Township voters supported the levy, 106-62. Earlier this year, the TCAPS board of education voted to close Norris Elementary school in Elmwood Township, and two other grade schools, at the end of the 2007-08 school year.

In addition, Marjie Rich and Megan Crandall defeated five other candidates to win four-year seats on the TCAPS board of education. In Leelanau County, Rich (553 votes) and Crandall (378) were the top vote-getters.