Rick Snyder to say Adios to Michigan gaspayers this year

Rick Snyder will be gone after this year.

We will no longer have a progressive Democrat masquerading as a Republican in the governor’s office.  That is, unless his carefully selected heir is somehow elected.  From the Detroit Free Press:

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder is expected to officially endorse Lt. Gov. Brian Calley at a campaign event in Southfield Wednesday.

“Lt. Gov. Calley and Gov. Snyder will attend an event this afternoon to highlight the best way to continue Michigan’s comeback over the next four years,” said Calley campaign spokesman Michael Schrimpf.

You know the guy.

Mr march-over-a-bridge-with-pied-piper-child-like-men-and-women political ad star?.  The guy who is Rick Snyder’s “Hillary?”  The guy who was the ‘conservative‘ in the executive branch?

The guy who was there to make sure that Michigan Taxpayers pony up an additional $1.8 Billion for roads sadly neglected because of Detroit bailouts and general fiscal malfeasance. Even after voters said.. “Nah we don’t want that” about Prop 15-1

Certainly, Brian Calley will parrot Slick Rick’s latest beg for new taxes.  Go ahead and ask him if he agrees when the Governor says we ain’t ponying up enough.

LANSING – It’s time to raise the federal gas tax to help fix Michigan’s ravaged roads, Gov. Rick Snyder said Tuesday.

Snyder, a Republican who is under fire along with state lawmakers over the shape of Michigan’s roads, said the state has taken steps to increase road funding and can do more, but it’s also time for the federal government to step up.

He said the state has increased road funding more than $1 billion annually since he took office, but federal road funding has decreased $250 million a year during that time.

“We need federal, state and local partners all working together,” but the feds are “going backwards on us,” he said.

Backward.

Michigan is number five (and number seven).  trying hard to be number one in something. (see chart on left)

I’ll bet even WITH the state raping our pocketbooks, most counties have already added, or tried to add additional funding through millages and other schemes.  In Grand Traverse County, we did, which is a good indicator that the state funding paradigm was a loser to begin with. Adding a transportation cost to a property value? Ugh.

Now it’s the Feds fault?  Of course, We should prefer to eliminate federal funding of roads all together.  Keep the 18 or so cents per gallon and have Highways done like Special assessment districts. But I digress.

And the added State taxes aren’t helping by the way.

I am on the GTCRC (road commission) Road commissioners oversee the cost of projects locally, and in particular a number of SAD (special assessment districts).  When the state money started to kick in, It helped make things happen more quickly.  However, there is this thing called inflation.  The money supply available for road projects grew, but availability of those capable did not.  Some of our SADs original estimates were then bid at 20-60% higher!

Add to this, is that State/County partnership projects still have prevailing wage restrictions.  There are also a number of requirements which prevent new players from entering into the market.

I suppose Rick Snyder wouldn’t even consider the elimination of the regulatory environment, much less signing off on prevailing wage elimination.  He probably wouldn’t even get on board with Michigan keeping it’s $0.18 per gallon and going to a shared district cost plan for interstates.

It’s just a lot easier to pile on the burden to those who can least afford it.  Truckers, low income commuters, anyone with a business, a car, etc.

Us.

You Betcha! (14)Nuh Uh.(1)