LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Gov. Gretchen Whitmer unveiled a $3 billion plan on Monday to fix Michigan’s local roads and it involves reaching into the pockets of taxpayers.

Her “MI Road Ahead Plan” would impose a 32% tax on marijuana wholesale, which has been untouchable since being legalized in 2018. Whitmer’s plan would also charge large corporations “their fair share” to use Michigan’s roads. After six years of holding office, Whitmer is proposing that all gas taxes, not just a portion, get earmarked for roads.

Whitmer boasts her plan is “sustainable.” Republicans call it “irresponsible.”

MORE NEWS: State Withholds Money From Flint Housing Commission for Failure to Submit Audit

Newly elected leadership in the Michigan House proposed a road plan after taking majority control on Jan. 1. That plan would designate $3.1 billion in annual revenue for roads without raising taxes by redirecting funding away from corporate welfare programs, like the Chinese-backed Gotion project in Big Rapids, and earmark it for state infrastructure projects.

State Rep. Dave Prestin (R-Cedar River) spoke out against Whitmer’s road plan and said tax increases do more harm than good.

“A lot of time behind the windshield is a fact of life in the Upper Peninsula,” Rep. Prestin said. “Groceries, school, work, and everything else can be upwards of 40 minutes away.” said Prestin, R-Cedar River. “The governor’s proposal…will be more likely to push employers out of the state rather than fix our roads.”

GOP highlights government spending.

While House Speaker Matt Hall (R-Richland Township) welcomed Whitmer to the conversation, he’s also looking for long-term solutions that don’t saddle Michiganders and businesses with more taxes.

“Government spending has grown 43% since Gov. Whitmer took office, and our local roads still have not been fixed,” Speaker Hall said. “That’s why our approach focuses on our long-neglected local roads that people drive from their driveway to the highway and finally gives us a clear plan to fix them.”

Much of that spending has been tied to the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), a pet group of Whitmer. It has given millions of taxpayer dollars to megasite projects around the state that most communities do not support.

“Fix the damn roads” already.

MORE NEWS: Detroit Schools Amend Budget for $63 Million Increase In Spending This Year

Rep. Ken Borton (R-Gaylord) ripped Whitmer’s plan, and her tenure since campaigning on “fixing the damn roads” when she campaigned in 2018. “The governor likes to say she wants to fix the roads but then refuses to cut funding away from any of her failing programs in order to do it,” said Borton, who serves on the House transportation budget committee. “She would rather scrape the bottom of the barrel and come up with weird taxes on tow truck drivers and college kids working delivery than use her corporate welfare money to fix our roads.”

Borton also pushed back on Whitmer’s priorities. “We can do this without raising or creating taxes, but only when the governor realizes our tax dollars are better spent fixing local roads and bridges than going to Chinese battery plants or foreign car manufacturers.”

His colleague, Rep. Ann Bollin (R-Brighton Township), pointed out the 40 percent government spending boondoggle as well. “The problem isn’t revenue, it’s priorities,” she said. “The money is there.” Rep. Bollin, continued, “We don’t need higher taxes to fix our roads. We need leadership that respects taxpayers, spends responsibly, and makes roads a priority.”

“Whitmer is completely absent.”

A House legislative assistant told Michigan News Source that Gov. Whitmer “is completely absent this week.” Her administration confirmed she is in the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain on an “historic investment mission.”  Meanwhile, her own Democratic party in the Senate is dragging its feet on tipped wages and sick time legislation. Michigan restaurants and businesses face a change in these wages if the legislature does not act by Feb. 21.