As a GVSU alumni I was curious about the news that students were supporting the the Rapid’s Proposed Millage increase. Student comments were all about the short connector from the transfer station to the GVSU busline. I went to the GVSU website for the Rapid bus proposal and I noticed there was nothing written about the Silverline which is the biggest portion of the Rapid to be funded by the tax increase. Why? The Silverline is also not featured on The Rapids television commercials. It is important for college students to learn to study and read about tax proposals and/or political candidates in depth before they leap. The Environmental Study of The Silverline is hidden way at the bottom right hand corner of the Rapids main website. This study revealed that the SIlverline will not be rapid transit and will be slower than the bus already in place on Division. In addition, intersections all along the route from 54th street to Franklin are slated to FAIL if the Silverline is implemented. The Mitigations for this problem offered in the study is to turn off the expensive Traffic Signal Priority system that the millage would pay for and operate the bus as a regular bus. The bus would still stop at most intersections, which is why the millions of tax payer dollars would not give anything but a duplicate bus back on Division avenue without any increase in speed. Unprecedented traffic congestion is expected in and around on Division avenue. This street supports families who live in four different public school districts. Parents will have a hard time getting young children to schools.

A lesson to be learned in college is politicians will not always give you all of the facts. You must search for the facts yourselves. When politicians and political groups give away free music and perks you have to read behind the lines. If you don’t have time to read all the facts beyond your studies, how can you support something? As college students it is hoped that you are learning to care about the community as a whole. I hope students READ the Enviromental study and consider all of the communities impacted by this millage proposal before they vote. The Lakerline commuter is a very small part of this millage that could be implemented without a tax increase as many routes in the suburbs of Kent County have empty buses running all afternoon and evening now. The impact of higher property taxes and how that will effect individual decisions to do business and buy homes in Kent County should also be considered. It is important to learn about the biggest and most controversial piece of the Rapids tax proposal-The Silverline- before you jump on board.

Joan Kowal

GVSU alumni