SE Grand Rapids News

State Representative Gina Johnsen has voiced opposition to Governor Gretchen Whitmer's recent proposal for a $2.75 billion plan aimed at improving Michigan's roads, which involves raising taxes. This announcement comes in contrast to the House Republicans' earlier introduction of their own $3.145 billion road funding strategy that avoids tax increases.

Johnsen, a Republican from Portland, expressed disappointment in the governor's approach, stating: “When we announced our common-sense plan to fix the roads without raising taxes, I really hoped the governor would see the sensibility behind it and come to the negotiating table with fiscal responsibility in mind; that isn’t what happened.” She further criticized Whitmer’s proposal by saying, “The governor may have joined the road funding conversation, but her proposal was anything but serious. If House Republicans are at the table ready for legitimate negotiations, she might as well be sitting in the parking lot.”

A key element of the House Republican plan is reallocating funds from corporate welfare programs towards essential infrastructure projects. The proposal also ensures that fuel taxes contribute directly to road funding, potentially increasing local road budgets by $945 million annually.

Governor Whitmer’s plan aims to allocate $3 billion towards roads but includes $250 million for new busing initiatives unrelated to road repairs. Her administration has suggested various "revenue enhancements," including taxes on businesses and services like Lyft and Uber.

Johnsen highlighted concerns about these proposed tax increases amid current economic conditions: “Considering how high inflation is right now, it’s mind-numbing the governor dares to propose tax increases that would affect so many.” She argued that increased business and trucking taxes could negatively impact farmers and small businesses dependent on transportation for product delivery.

Emphasizing budget management over taxation, Johnsen remarked: “We have the money in the budget to fix the roads, especially considering state government has grown by almost $30 billion, a 40% increase in six years. The governor may not like it, but House Republicans are committed to securing road funding by cutting our bloated budget, not forcing budget-strapped families to foot the cost.”