A Road Funding Proposal By Any Other Name - Would Still Stink

"This task was impossible to sum up in 100 words," said John Milne of Saginaw

The Board of State Canvassers finally approved official language for Michigan Proposal 1 of 2015, on Thursday, a 'sales tax and road funding measure' set to appear on the May 5 ballot.

Proposal 1 of 2015 has been called by many a Road Funding Bill. REALLY !

Take your pain medication of choice and read it here:

Read the "Michigan Road Funding" Proposal and Weep

Michigan Bureau of Elections Director Chris Thomas was tasked with crafting a "true and impartial" ballot question in 100 words or less. "This is a very complex proposal that is based on an interplay between proposals to change the constitution and the laws of Michigan," he said.

As Dr. Phil would say 'How's that work'n out for ya ?'

It starts out:

A proposal to amend the State Constitution to increase the sales/use tax from 6% to 7% to replace and supplement reduced revenue to the School Aid Fund and local units of government...

Okay. Right from the beginning, it does not even mention Roads, but says 'increasing the sales tax to fund the School Aid Fund and local governments'. Wow. What about the roads ?? Okay, hold on it will...

Give effect to laws that provide additional money for roads and other transportation purposes by increasing the gas tax and vehicle registration fees.

What the F ? I thought this was all about Sales Tax and Roads !! Now we are talking about the gas tax. And what's with the "other transportation purposes" ? That could be anything. Oh wait. It will also...

• Increase portion of use tax dedicated to School Aid Fund (SAF).
• Expand use of SAF to community colleges and career / technical education, and
• prohibit use for 4-year colleges / universities.

 Hello ! Roads !! What about the Roads !!!!! I know it hurts, but lets read on...

• Increase sales / use tax to 7%, as authorized by constitutional amendment.
• Increase gasoline / diesel fuel tax and adjust annually for inflation,
• increase vehicle registration fees, and dedicate revenue for roads and other transportation purposes.

Well finally, the roads. But still the "other transportation purposes". What other ? Those tubes on the Futurama cartoon ? Finally of course it ends up with the expected...

Should this proposal be adopted?
YES [ ]
NO [ ]
HUH ? [ ]

Alright, so I added the last choice. But thats the feeling I get when I read this "Road Funding Bill". And I have still not figured out what the right vote is. If the proposal passes will the roads get fixed ? That after all is the question. Or will the money from another 1% added to the sales tax go elsewhere. After all, those Lansing people we hired are today talking about taking money from education to fill up holes in the general fund. Talk about patching potholes. Will the Road Money from the 1% sales tax increase be used for who knows what before it actually fixes our roads ? This proposal is full of holes if you ask me.

So my feeling right now is that no matter how I might vote, the proposal does not stand much of a chance of passing. And this blog will just go on like a painful Michigan road trip. Just can't think of much more to say.




Oh, did I mention those tubes on the Futurama cartoon ? No potholes there. Just smooth sailing. For the forseeable future in Michigan that's just a dream.

As always...

Drive - And Vote - Careful,
Will 


P.S.      LLAP Leonard Nimoy

Read my Facebook comment on the great actor. He's not really dead as long as we remember him.

Post by Will Branning.

What Do Potholes And Car Insurance Have In Common ?

They Both Suck ! Insurance Companies Will Raise Rates With A Michigan Pothole Damage Claim.

Saw a report on Auto Insurance companies and how they treat us when we file a pothole claim. They raise our rates. So not only will the State of Michigan not pay for pothole damage (statistically speaking), it may be better not to ask your insurance company to pay either. The increase in your rate may cost more over the long run then paying for repairs out of your own pocket. Unless of course it is a very expensive repair. We'll all have to just do the math.

So why do they raise our rates on a pothole claim if it's not our fault ? After all we did not create the pothole (unless you voted for this legislature :~) Well it's simple they say. Its a "one car accident". Okay I can't argue that. But it's still not my fault.

Not so says the insurance company. Because there is no other car involved, it must therefore be your fault. Like backing into a pole in a parking lot or leaving your car in neutral so it rolls and hits a tree. What the hell ?! What if I had no choice but to hit the damn pothole or otherwise swerve and hit another car ? Would that be a two, or a one car accident since the pothole was evil enough to cause the accident ? It's all really stupid.

So Take This Test: Which one below is Definitely NOT your fault ?

Two Car Accident

One Car / One Michigan Pothole Accident

It's not a trick question. Better get a 'Pothole Attorney' like I said last month.



Drive Careful,
and also - Hello Rowan !
Will

Obama Budget Includes Overseas Profit Tax To Fund Infrastructure

How Should I Vote on the Michigan Sales Tax Increase ?

 
The other day I read this article online about the Presidents proposed budget.
You can see it Here. It is supposed to have a part allowing for an increase on some overseas corporate profits for the purpose of upgrading and repairing the nations infrastructure, i.e. roads. So is the rest of the country passing up Michigan when it comes to fixing our infrastructure/roads ? While I am still trying to decide where I stand on raising the Michigan sales tax one percent to seven percent, I read that article and wondered: 'How can you pay to fix anything without money ?'.

Let's say I spend $10,000.00 this year, cash money for things in this state. If the sales tax were 1% higher than it is now at 6%, then it would cost me $100.00 more in sales tax. Now I am just using the amount spent this year as an example in order to wrap my head around what the numbers really are. But consider this: Last year I spent well over $1,500.00 on pothole related repairs to just one vehicle of mine. Would I rather have spent $100.00 for my share to fix the roads and not have had the damage and expense ? Hell ya. But would the money actually have fixed those potholes I hit, or might hit this year ? What about all the other stuff the tax increase is supposed to be spent on ? Just how much and when will the dollars from a tax increase be put into road repairs ?

So you see, I have a lot of questions about a sales tax increase in Michigan before I can make an educated vote. And I worry that many people will not make an educated vote but rather vote based on the propaganda ,either for or against the tax, that they will see on the TV, in print or on the Internet and such. More photos of holes in the roads, busted cars and maybe Rick Snyder standing in his underwear on TV telling us that bumping up the sales tax 'is a win for motorists' (ask me about the underwear ad and I'll tell you).

That is the BIG Question.

Drive Careful,
Will

Pot For Potholes In Michigan

Is 'Pot For Potholes' a Crazy Idea ? Is a Ballot Proposal to Raise the Sales Tax Any Crazier ?

At the end of the lame duck session of the Michigan legislature last year, the lawmakers in Lansing decided to do nothing about a problem that has been making their constituents scream for at least a decade. They decided to let us do the job of funding road repair instead of doing it themselves. So they put a sales tax increase on the ballot in May.

Was it Pot that gave them such a 'lame' idea ? What about taxing pot ?

'Yeah, maybe that would work. But once they fill every pothole, what do you think they would legalize to fix every crack?'

Actually the idea of using a tax on legalized pot in Michigan for road funding is not a new one. I have seen it talked about in the news for at least two years, sometimes as a joke and sometimes not. But for a lot of reasons expecting Michigan voters to agree to a sales tax increase seems to also be a joke. Such a ballot proposal is already getting a lot of opposition. And if it does fail, so much for any other attempt to raise taxes for anything else, needed or not. But back to the 'Pot for Potholes' thing.  

Over a year ago it was reported on NPR news that a GOP state lawmaker wanted to legalize marijuana to pay for roads. One lawmaker admitted the measure probably wouldn't be enough to address the entire problem of Michigan’s crumbling infrastructure. But he said it would at least help while legislators debate a more comprehensive solution. Remember that was well over a year ago. So as Dr. Phil says 'How's that work'in out for 'ya?'.

Even Comedy Central's Stephen Colbert couldn't help but make fun of the idea in a segment on his show. I think he commented 'Yeah, maybe that would work. But once they fill every pothole, what do you think they would legalize to fix every crack?' Again that was over a year ago, you can try the link HERE (The Michigan mention begins at 2:50)


 

Now more recently it has come up in the news again on a page on MLive.com by Politics Columnist Tim Skubick, also host of "Off The Record" on PBS. I like to read and listen to Mr. Skubick - don't always agree but he is informative.

In the article he said '64 percent of the citizens say they would vote to tax marijuana to fix the roads, compared to only 43 percent who would raise the sales tax to do it'. Not sure where he got the info but it sounds about right. On the other hand he quotes governor Snyder, after seeing the poll as saying, “I don’t see marijuana being the solution,” on how to fix the roads. Read the article HERE. But Mr. Governor, it seems that neither do 64 percent of voters in Michigan see raising the sales tax as a solution.

After The Smoke Clears...

So if taxing pot is not a real solution and if raising the sales tax may not solve the problem of Michigan's lousy roads what else is there ? Think I'll go see my relatives in Colorado and just think it over for a while. Then I'll get back and let you know what I think.




















Drive Careful,
Will