1. Shoulderingthe Burden:
Bloomberg: “StatesShoulderRoad BuildingBurden”. Fornearly5yearsI’ve promotedutilizing a
differentfundingsource forTransportationInfrastructure requirements. The Federal HighwayTrust
Fundis depleted withnolongtermfundingsolutioninsight.
We,as Michigan citizens, shouldshare the burden amongstall of us, equalizingthe load. Nobodywants
to pay taxes. Period. It’sanissue inthe U.S. Constitutionandinourdailylives,today. We musthelp
shoulderthisexpensiveburden. Howwe do that isup to us.
Michiganneedsatleast$5 billionperyeartobringour transportationinfrastructure to currentand
future performance levels. Thisamountstomore than$1 trillionoverthe next30 years. The average
life spanof a bridge maintenance plan. The promotion that$1.2 billionperyearissufficientis
preposterous;notevenclose whenthe truthistold. Ourcurrent budgetis$3 billionperyear.
I’ve builtbridges,roadsand workedinthe oil andgas fields. Iknow aboutthe real moneyspentinthese
endeavors. Hitchupyour britchesandpull upyourboot straps and headfor the votingbooth. We must
encourage legislatorstofindareliable fundingsource otherthantaxingtransportationbasedelements,
whichisa failedmodel.
I recognize elements of myproposalsinProposal 1:1. Popularvote,2. Constitutional provision 3.
Change inFundingsource and4. Fundingforschools. We are close. We mustinsist ona cohesive path
to future fundingwhichmeetsourneedsforthe remainderof thiscenturyandintothe next. Thisisan
expensive,longtermprojectwithlongtermoutcomes. We mustunderstand:Thisisnotabout“justfor
today”as a shortterm,quick-fix strategy.
L.G. Murray, Boyne City,MI 5/1/2015