Over the years local residents have been asked to support millage proposals for numerous items to help financially support programs in the Alpena area. Some of these items are TBTA for Dial-A-Ride, APS for buildings, buses and other items that a not state funded and AMA ESD for continuing programs.

We have also received state taxpayer funds for many things that benefit the area. These include MDOT funding for numerous items at TBTA, MDOT funding for multimillion dollar bus garage that was just opened and funding for AMA ESD and APS.

Now, APS and AMA ESD are planning to hand over busing for special needs or situations, the school buses use of bus garage on M-32 and operational control to a downstate private for-profit transportation company.

All this is being done without a publicized public comment meeting.

With all this in mind, the time a millage request is made by the AMA or APS, they should hold it downstate to see how much support the request would receive away from the local area; an area that has supported them.

Craig T. Zelazny

Alpena