“I was looking forward to hearing the Governor’s responsible budget proposal. I’m still waiting.” With those words, State Rep. Pauline Wendzel from Watervliet kicks open the debate door onto Gov. Whitmer’s proposed gas tax which Wendzel contends would amount of $2.5-billion.
Wendzel says today, “After two years of rhetoric about ‘Fixing the Damn Roads,’ I was incredibly disappointed to see the ‘plan’ that the Governor put forward. If her tax increase were to pass, Michiganders would be paying the highest fuel tax in the Midwest as well as the highest car insurance rates in the nation. I want our state to be number one in many categories, but this is not one of them. It’s clear that the legislature will have to come up with a real solution to this problem.”
Whitmer’s tax plan for gas would increase the gasoline tax in Michigan by a total of 45-cents over a three year span in 15-cent intervals. That’s clearly unacceptable to Wendzel and many of her House colleagues.
She says today, “I look forward to working with my colleagues in the House and Senate to put forward a responsible plan that invests in our roads while protecting the wallets of hardworking Michiganders.”
The Representative also spoke about the roads package that was signed into law back in 2015, noting, “I would also like to point out that there is already the start of a plan in place. Back in 2015, the Legislature committed to increasing spending on repairing our infrastructure. About $600 million was added to road repairs in 2018 alone — without raising taxes or fees. All said, Michigan is projected to spend well over $4 billion on road and bridge repairs in the current fiscal year – the most in state history. I am confident we can create a fair deal that Michigan drivers deserve.”
Stay tuned.
