LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Michigan House Republicans plan to unveil a new $2.7 billion plan to fix the state’s roads and bridges during the lame duck period and beyond.
What is the plan?
House Speaker-elect Matt Hall’s plan (R-Richland Township), which he will discuss more on Monday afternoon during a press conference, would invest the addition funding for infrastructure each year. He said general fund spending has grown by $4 billion since 2018, the year Gov. Gretchen Whitmer took office. Hall pointed out close to none of that spending has gone towards fixing Whitmer’s “damn roads.”
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“Everyone says they want to fix the roads when the cameras are on, but nobody has taken any real steps to do it these past two years,” said Hall. “The people are sick and tired of inaction and empty words. We are ready to get to work and actually get things done, starting with a real roads plan we can pass the first day we get back in December.”
Other lawmakers are on board.
Hall’s plan would immediately allocate $1.2 billion of corporate income tax (CIT) revenue to infrastructure, add $600 million in additional funding in 2026, and add every cent of state taxes at the gas pump to road funding.
State Rep. Donni Steele (R-Lake Orion) is also standing by Hall’s side. “This plan makes serious cuts to the rampant corporate welfare driven by the governor and redirects that funding to the communities who have been seeking aid for years.” She continued by saying the plan would cut “wasteful spending.”
Steele said, “These local leaders have been forced to watch as their state government ignores funding requests while writing what are essentially blank checks to huge corporations with no real ties to our communities.”
Rep. Tom Kunse (R-Clare) and Rep. Pat Outman (R-Six Lakes) are also on board and will support Hall at Monday’s press conference.
The Republicans flipped the state house on Nov. 5. Michigan Democrats lose their majority there on Jan. 1.
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