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.