Tag: Roads

If you want to fix the roads with a millage, actually fix the roads. Don't add a bunch of new projects, especially those not wanted by the residents of the street who live there.

Genoa Township has a new projects road millage on the ballot November 5th. It raises taxes 1.5 mills for 15 years. There is a blog site up giving several reasons to defeat the millage. Protect Genoa Township Neighborhoods.

Organized opposition has been formed to oppose this millage. Protect Genoa Township Neighborhoods. PO Box 1182. Brighton MI 48116. So far enough money has been raised for a direct mail piece to likely voting households. AV mailing is out and another one is on the way. With more money, we can have signs and other GOTV efforts to defeat this thing. I'm consulting on this pro bono. This is "family business" to me and I'm not taking any cut from this project.

LANSING--State Representative Lisa Posthumus Lyons, R-Alto issued the following statement today in response to reports that legislative leaders are considering a proposal to take repealing Michigan's prevailing wage law off the table for consideration as well as to raise the state's sales tax to fund road repairs:

"Our roads and infrastructure are in bad need of repair, but simply raising taxes on hardworking families while preventing policies that make Michigan competitive and create jobs is not the answer.

"Michigan's hardworking taxpayers deserve better. Our road funding problem is an opportunity to look at comprehensive tax restructuring, not just taking the status quo and asking for more.

"I am asking the Governor and legislative quadrant to take a different approach to this issue. I am willing to seek solutions, but this proposal misses the mark, and I will lead the charge to ensure it does not get the 2/3 votes in the House to put it on the ballot."

 

Recognizing that many 'moderate' elements now lurk for fear of being drawn into arguments they cannot win, there ARE ways to get a pulse on what is being considered. Even the soft conservatives out here are getting the fire-to-the-hand test of loyalty by the governor who doesn't really seem to have ANY center of gravity. When the first answer is always to go back with hands out for more taxes, its an insult to the 'conservative' voter who actually feels some bizarre obligation to support it. When we see this:

"The MIRS subscription newsletter reported Monday that the quadrant leaders "are moving toward a package" that would devote all revenue collected at the gas pump -- including fuel excise and sales taxes -- to roads while boosting the state sales tax by one percent to replace lost revenue currently earmarked for schools and cities."

However, the increasing cost on gasoline and subsequent sales tax windfall provided cover for the fungible nature in which the schools are supported. It allowed other areas of state government to grow, and covered the years of neglect and lack of schools oversight by the legislature. The schools have enough to operate on, but do not have some of the tools in which to better manage what they get.  Snyder's additional sales tax is NOT the way to solve this.

There really has to be a question forming in the minds of even the most ardent Republicans.

We are NOT ATM machines.  How the hell did we get here?

We need to know where you are at.  Is Rick Snyder at all trustworthy to see through another 4 years? Would readers of this site vote for a Democrat to prove a point? Would a third party bid be a better way of giving Snyder's unpredictable 'antics'?

Take the poll.  

Jase Bolger attempting to keep ALL the options on the table for the road funding component of Michigan's budget speaks of reaching out across the aisle. From SFGATE on Saturday:

"They're saying, 'We want everything we want and then we'll give you no assurance that we'll help you with solving the road problems,'" said House Speaker Jase Bolger. "We're saying, 'Please, give us a list of what you want but participate in providing the solution at the same time.' ... We've continued to reach our hand out and that hand has not been returned."

Stop feeding the beast that would bite them off.  If they refuse to deal with such common sense solutions as removing the prevailing wage provisions (saving hundreds of millions annually) then they offer no value to the conversation.

Moving forward, ignore the buffoon in the other chamber:

"Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville, a Monroe Republican, said the prevailing wage legislation won't go anywhere "unless I were to die."  "

The cost to our communities from special assessments, millages and general apathy to the financial wherewithal of constituents can be appalling.  Cheryl has written up in just a few paragraphs, a story that can be related and well understood in dozens of townships throughout Michigan.  Examples of over-planning, a desire for the best, yet without the ability to pay, and property owners which find themselves on the raw end of someone else' ambition.

This is just one true tale, that as yet has not ended.

WHITEWATER TOWNSHIP BOARD'S "ROAD TO RUIN"
by Cheryl Walton

In January/February 2005, a petition for paving 4 roads (Watson, Mabel, Deal, and Lackey) was circulated to road frontage owners.  A sheet accompanying the petition estimated the total cost of paving to be $1 million, to be split half and half between the Grand Traverse County Road Commission and the property owners, with the annual cost per "benefit" estimated at $200 annually for 10 years.  More than 50% of the road frontage owners signed the petition.

In August 2005, a different petition listing 5 roads (Watson, Mabel, Deal, Lackey, AND SKEGEMOG POINT ROAD south of M-72) was circulated only to Skegemog Point Road frontage owners.  Less than 50% of the frontage owners signed, not meeting the Public Improvement Act requirement that more than 50% of the frontage owners agree to the improvement.  Despite this fact, the southern portion of Skegemog Point Road was added to the list of roads to be paved, adding close to $300,000 to the cost of the project.  The signers of the 4-road petition never agreed to the paving of Skegemog Point Road.