MI: County leaders push transit, regional cooperation amid rising costs in Southeast Michigan

Southeast Michigan’s top county leaders said Thursday the region’s future hinges on stronger cooperation, especially on long-stalled issues like transit, as costs rise.

At the Detroit Regional Chamber’s “Meet Southeast Michigan’s County Leaders” panel in Lathrup Village, Wayne County Executive Warren Evans, Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter and Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel said working together across county lines is no longer optional.

“The goal is not for us to be friends,” Coulter said. “The goal is for us to come together, to work together as a region, and to promote this region because we’re all in this together.”

Of all the issues discussed, regional transit stood out as the most urgent, particularly for Evans, who is pushing a countywide transit ballot proposal this August.

“Number one issue for me is transit, transit, transit,” Evans said.

He argued that Southeast Michigan cannot function as a “world-class region” without a cohesive system, pointing to gaps created by communities opting out of transit services.

“You don’t really have a transit system when you have 17 communities out of 43 that have opted out,” Evans said. “If we’re going to be world class, then we need to think world class.”

Evans said expanding transit would help residents access jobs, education and health care, particularly as costs continue to rise.

The executives also highlighted growing financial strain on residents and businesses, from inflation and gas prices to global economic policies.

Coulter noted Oakland County’s large base of international companies is already feeling the effects.

“We have over 800 foreign-owned companies in Oakland County, and a lot of them are nervous about federal policies,” he said.

He also raised concerns about a shrinking middle tier of jobs.

“The gap between high-paying jobs and what they call pathway jobs, those pathway jobs are disappearing,” Coulter said. “We’re not providing the opportunity for people who don’t have advanced degrees to get into the workforce and have a path to a good-paying job.”

Evans said rising gas prices could further underscore the need for transit.

“Five dollars a gallon ought to motivate people to want to be able to take a public transit system that makes sense,” he said.

Beyond transit, they pointed to affordability, particularly housing and healthcare, as a top concern, while also emphasizing that attracting residents and businesses requires more than just lower costs.

“It’s not just enough to have transit … or affordability,” Coulter said. “Part of our job is to create quality of life — whether it’s parks, cultural institutions or safe communities.”

Even with past divisions across Southeast Michigan, the three leaders said they’re working more closely together on issues like road funding and economic development.

“We’re a force to be reckoned with in terms of our financial stability and our ability to work together,” Evans said.

Hackel said that cooperation has helped strengthen the region’s position with state leaders, while Evans added that regional alignment is helping unlock more resources.

As the region continues to navigate economic uncertainty, the executives said maintaining that cooperative approach will be critical.

“We really do represent the millions of people in these three counties,” Evans said. “We want to provide service for those folks, and make things happen.”

Coulter echoed that sentiment.

“We have an obligation to come together, hammer things out, be positive and get things done,” he said.

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