Lack Of Funding Could Pull The Plug On The Detroit People Mover
DETROIT (WWJ) - Those who rely on the People Mover are facing the threat of a complete shutdown on the trains in December. WWJ's Sandra McNeill reports that the funding problems could threaten operation of the Detroit People Mover in the week's ahead.
People Mover board member Gerald Poisson tells WWJ that there isn't enough money to keep the trains moving past December ... after Detroit City Council cut the subsidy for the trains by $1 million last July.
"When you remove that part of the subsidy you're also talking about remove the resulting match that comes from state and federal operating dollars - for every dollar you cut you lose a dollar-twenty-seven ... around that, you just can't make up that kind of money by reducing expenses," said Poisson.
The shut-down would come just before hundreds of thousands of people descend upon the Detroit area for the North American International Auto Show.
City Council President Charles Pugh says he'll ask the mayor to seek a stop gap of money from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Botton line is that if new revenues aren't found, the People Mover will be shut down.
