Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


A local lawmaker is joining other Republicans in blasting Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s proposed long term plan to fix roads across the state.

The Governor unveiled the “Mi Road Ahead” plan on Monday, which would add around $3 (B) billion in new road funding each year. It’s described as “a comprehensive, sustainable, long-term plan to fix the damn roads for generations to come”. It includes funds to help local communities fix local roads, boost transit, improve safety on roads, and reduce the cost of vehicle repairs for drivers.

Some of the key aspects include increasing the corporate income tax, cutting unspecified programs, close a loophole that exempted the marijuana industry from wholesale taxes, and ensure that what drivers pay at the pump goes toward “fixing the roads and building better transportation infrastructure”. The marijuana tax would be paid by the businesses, not customers.

State Representative Jason Woolford of Howell told WHMI the plan comes after House Republicans proposed a “real and permanent” road funding plan dedicated to fixing failing roads without raising taxes. He said Whitmer again has “her pocket open and her hand out wanting to raise taxes” and the plan includes new taxes and fees on things like deliveries, transportation, Ubers, Lyfts, and taxis among others – calling it “government overreach and spending at its best”. Woolford said it’s concerning for the state as it already has the resources to fix the roads and the budget has grown, but funds are being diverted elsewhere and not being properly allocated. He added that families are already struggling and in desperate need; and the plan will just tax more people. Woolford maintains the plan from Speaker Matt Hall and Republicans offers “a clear vision with real results that will help Michiganders”.

Republican State Representative Ann Bollin of Brighton Township, chair of the House Appropriations Committee, released the following statement:

“The governor’s claim that Michigan doesn’t have enough existing revenue to fix our roads is simply false. Just last month, the House introduced a responsible, $3.1 billion plan that prioritizes road repairs using existing revenue, without raising taxes. But instead of working with us, Gov. Whitmer is pushing a plan that would raise taxes and fees on Michigan families by $2.5 billion, inflating her already massive $83.5 billion budget to a staggering $86 billion. “Since 2018, state government spending has ballooned by nearly $30 billion — a more than 40% increase. And none of that was put toward additional funding for local roads. The problem isn’t revenue, it’s priorities. The money is there. We don’t need higher taxes to fix our roads. We need leadership that respects taxpayers, spends responsibly, and makes roads a priority.”


Michigan Infrastructure & Transportation Association Executive Vice President Rob Coppersmith commented:

“With the governor’s announcement today of her plan to fund and fix Michigan’s roads, we now have two competing plans for consideration, including Speaker Matt Hall’s proposal. Michigan has underfunded infrastructure for decades, and the failure to act on implementing a long-term plan is threatening thousands of road construction jobs across the state this year. Michigan faces a funding cliff in 2025 as funds from the governor’s bonding program and the boost in federal infrastructure funds dry up. The state is already faced with a $3.9 billion infrastructure investment deficit that continues to grow as maintenance needs and inflation increase. If we fail to act now to fund and fix Michigan’s roads, we will continue going backward. After all, this is a quality-of-life issue. Do we want safe and reliable infrastructure to get to work, school, and vacation? Or do we want our roads and bridges to continue to deteriorate while the good-paying jobs needed to fix our roads are lost?”

The full release from Whitmer’s Office is attached. The plan unveiled earlier by Republicans is available in the provided link.