And, who is left to pick up the tab for that when Snyder/Calley is gone? Let, U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), explain that for you. Did you notice a Republican said the states are going to pay for it? Why Hell, even a plumber knows that sh!t runs downhill.
Gov. Rick Snyder said Monday he wants legislation boosting road funding to be the Legislature’s top priority during its lame duck session after the Nov. 4 election.
The Republican governor, who faces a tough re-election against Democrat Mark Schauer, has struggled to get the GOP-controlled Legislature to adopt a plan to raise at least $1.2 billion in additional annual revenue for road funding through increases in the fuel tax and vehicle registration fees.
….
“I still consider that a priority I want to get done in the first term,” Snyder said at the West Michigan Policy Forum’s conference at the Amway Grand Hotel.
In June, the Senate adjourned for the summer after rejecting a gas tax hike and higher fees for heavy trucks that Snyder supported. Schauer has criticized the governor’s leadership on the issue, but said he’s opposed to increasing the 19 cents-per-gallon gas tax.
Other no-bid contracts on wasteful spending eliminated from Wisconsin government.
“I guess if I were running a multimillion-dollar company, which you are called MDOT, and I only got one bid, boy, would I be nervous as to what I had missed, and I guess I would step back and look at the entire process and start all over again,” said Sen. Bruce Caswell, R-Hillsdale.
The 10-bill package, approved by the House Transportation Committee the day before, goes to the Senate for consideration next week. It follows a plan announced last month by House Speaker Jase Bolger, R-Marshall.
….
Bolger said the series of proposals responds to public demands for better roads but with available money rather than higher taxes.
These sociopaths actually *think* that? Liars, all.
Hey y’all, guess what. Our big spending Lansing Majority is about to stick us with the tab to change out frivolous road signs. You read that right. My Rep., Peter “I love Red Light Cameras” Pettalia (video here) just recently got some traction in the House for his buffoonish legislation to rename tourist-trap roadways with the Pure propaganda trademark. Added MEDC approved bonus? MDOT will have control over the “indeterminate” costly bid process! Cha-ching for some crony relative with a sign business.
Now, for some credit where credit is due.
Amendment offered by Rep. Tom McMillin (R) on March 26, 2014, to require the proposed signs to also disclose the amount of cash subsidies and selective tax breaks the state paid to corporations and developers through its “economic development” programs, with the information posted in the same sized font. The amendmentfailed by voice votein the House on March 26, 2014.
A House committee on Wednesday voted to permanently shift money from Michigan’s general fund to transportation spending. Another panel approved legislation bringing the diesel tax in line with the gasoline tax and taxing fuels on price instead of a flat per-gallon basis.
Fuel taxes would grow with inflation.
The $450 million is just a third of what Gov. Rick Snyder says is needed to bring Michigan roads up to par. Michigan’s gasoline taxes are among the country’s highest while its per-capita road spending is among the lowest because the sales tax on fuel primarily goes to non-transportation funding.
Permits for oversized and overweight trucks would jump to $500 under House Bill 5452, as amended and advanced by the transportation committee. Overweight permits currently cost $50 for a single trip or $100 for multiples. The original bill would have doubled those fees, but Rep. David Rutledge (D-Ypsilanti) won an amendment to raise the rates even higher.
MDOT gets to run further amok entering into agreements, too. Sure is a winning stratagem all them TEA folk have chosen with allowing the bastards to run wild simply because the Majority in Lansing has an “R” after its last name.
(24)Nuh Uh.
(2)
