Ambassador Bridge request nearly passes

Oh, I can hear Ron Jones,Brian Masse  and Dave Battagello now.  We beat the enemy.

Well not quite. 

In a 5-1 vote in favour of the bridge company, the request nearly was accepted – save for 5 committee members that didn’t bother showing up to vote.  The Michigan Strategic Fund has 11 members, so all the bridge company needs is 1 more vote out of the 5 to receive the bonds.

Maybe it was a good day for golfing.  Or maybe this is simply a delay tactic by the State of Michigan.  This way it shows that a majority were in favour, but because 5 members were not present, one can’t really say the state denied them.  This was made obvious when John Czarnecki said the company can reapply, and they may even waive the application fee. 

The bridge company can reapply with it back on the agenda in late July. 

“The Ambassador Bridge’s request for $1 billion in tax-exempt bonds to help finance a new six-lane twin span across the Detroit River was denied after a state panel in charge of the decision did not have enough members present for a passing vote. The Michigan Strategic Fund voted 5- 1 in favor of Ambassador owner Matty Moroun’s application, the Detroit News reports. Unfortunately for him, at least six ‘yes’ votes were needed to okay the bonds.

Five panel members did not show up for the vote.

John Czarnecki, director of program administration for the fund, told the newspaper that the bridge company can reapply. He even offered to waive the $1,000 application fee and said it could be back on the agenda by late July.

The company planned on using the money to build a new crossing about 100 feet to the west of the current Ambassador. The company says it has already spent $400 million on securing land and preliminary work on bridge plaza and toll booth expansions. — with files from the Detroit News.”