EDITORIAL: A minor investment to fund major improvements
Michigan's Proposal 1 for Safer Roads does more good than harm
Mount Pleasant city commissioners unanimously passed a resolution Monday supporting Proposal 1, showing their commitment to fixing state and local roads.
House Speaker Kevin Cotter presented the proposal, also known as Proposal 1 for Safer Roads, to commissioners during their Monday meeting. It will appear on the May 5 ballot and will raise funds by increasing Michigan sales tax from 6 to 7 percent to fund road repairs and pay off existing road repair debt.
As the election draws near, we urge students to vote and echo the support for Proposal 1 shown by the commissioners. Michigan roads are our roads. They have been in dire need of repair for years.
Increasing the state sales tax — rather than the income or creating a new tax — ensures that the largest portion of the Michigan demographic will end up contributing. Everyone from young teens to senior citizens will be affected, along with tourists. Since more people will have to contribute, the tax increase can remain small.
Some might argue that targeting sales tax means targeting the poor along with the rich. In reality, a 1 percent tax increase will cause minimal disruption to the population.
The proposal's utilization of state sales tax ensures most people — residents and visitors — will contribute to the solution while enduring minor damage to their wallets.
The proposal also eliminates the sales/use tax on gasoline and diesel fuels and replace it with a new one, raising the fuel tax from 19 cents to 41.7 cents. The current tax has proved inadequate due to rising inflation over the last decade, according to Cotter.
The House Fiscal Agency estimates the proposal will raise $2.1 billion in its first fiscal year, with $367 million of that total going to fix roads. Cotter stated that Mount Pleasant would receive $1.6 million of that total, and about $2.7 million after two years.
According to Isabella County Road Commission Supervisor Tony Casali, Isabella County would receive $1.3 million next year if the proposal is successful. The county already receives about $5 million for road repairs each year.
Almost $300 million of the funds raised by Proposal 1 will be allocated to the Student Aid Fund, which serves public school districts, vocational schools and other educational programs.
Casali said 145 of the county's 458 miles of road are in "poor" condition. "Poor" really means the roads need to be completely repaved at the cost about $210,000 per mile.
In just Isabella County, there are 74 miles in need of crack sealing and 70 miles in need of chip sealing, said Casali. Only 84 miles in the county are rated in "great" shape.
As college students, we have driven on Michigan roads for at least 4-5 years. We will continue to live with them if we choose to stay in the state after graduation.
Lawmakers could have found a way to fix Michigan roads without changing the state sales tax or involving voters. They have left the decision up to us, so let's exercise our power as voters and do our part to take care of our own infrastructure.
Proposal 1 is our best choice to keep our roads drivable.
