Opposition group looks to defeat SMART bus millage renewal A group opposed to an August millage in Wayne County that would generate funds for Metro Detroit's SMART bus system has banded together, saying the buses have too low of ridership and generate too little funding from fares to make the millage a worthy taxpayer investment. The opposition group, called Not Smart Wayne, is making its case as 17 cities in Michigan's most populated county prepare to vote on the millage for the first time on Aug. 4. Wayne County has, until now, allowed cities to choose not to participate in the approximately 1-mill property tax for SMART bus funding. But the state Legislature passed a bill in 2024 prohibiting the county's communities from opting out, which Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed in January 2025. "It is a fantasy that these transit rider people have in their heads, that somehow we can overlay a European transit system on a suburban community with suburban-type density," said Matthew Wilk, one of Not Smart Wayne's organizers. He formed the opposition committee in March alongside co-organizer Patty Pozios. But SMART CEO Tiffany Gunter said the bus system provides a critical service and has improved in recent years based on some key measures. Its added three new routes in Oakland County since 2022, the last renewal of the millage that also eliminated the opt-out choice for the county. She added ridership has increased by 40% over the last few months on the Woodward and Gratiot corridors, two of SMART's busiest routes, and frequency of buses arriving has improved to 20 minutes on those avenues. "So the system is improving. And I can say that because I'm seeing it day to day," Gunter said. Gunter said if the millage fails in August in Wayne, SMART would have to