1. Social Change vs.Political Idealism:
For mostof the past 5 yearsI’ve triedtoconvince the citizensof NorthernMichiganandourlegislative
leadersinLansingof the needtoreplace the currentmethodof fundingTransportationInfrastructure. A
differentfundingsource isrequired.
Social change and political idealismare notgoodbedfellows. The formerrequirespositiveeffortto
effect,the latterconsistsof preconceivednotion;behaviorswhichdonotmix well. It’simportantto
remember: “the mindacceptswhatit isrepeatedlytold”.
Several yearsago,I startedwithan article aboutCharlevoixCounty,MIandit’snarrowly,voterapproved
road millage. The millage,introducedoutof necessity, hasprovenwell worththe cost. I’ve suggesteda
salestax on foodincluding$1.6 billioninregressive tax cuts forMichigancitizensandbusinesses. The
positive feedbackwasencouraging. Iformulatedotherpossible variationsincludinga“productionfee”
basedon itemsorservicessoldthroughmanufacturing,agricultureandtourism, ourlargestproducing
industries,accountingforabout$130 billionperyear.
The pointis clear: There are otherequitable meansto finance thismostimportantelement andbasic
social need. Focusonthe fact that transportationinfrastructure isutilizedbyall membersof our
citizenry;notjustpeople traveling astourists,goingtoworkor school and those registeringvehicles.
Otherstatesare changingtheirfunding sourcesforroadsandbridgeswhichshouldencourage usto
considera similarpath. Taxingtransportationtosupportitself isnolongeraworkingmodel.
A formerCongressional BudgetOffice chairman,in arecentNew YorkTimes article, stated: “…it’stime
to recognize the fundingmechanismisbroken…”regardingthe Federal HighwayTrustFund. We receive
over$1 billionannuallyfrom thisfund;it’sdepleted.
I believeProposal 1isincomplete,inefficientandunacceptable. Please voteNO onMay 5th
.
L.G. Murray, Boyne City,MI 4/11/2015