Per an article in Bridge Michigan yesterday, Michigan officials need to spend up to $3.9 billion more per year to fully fund road repairs, according to projections released Tuesday by a construction trade group. The estimate from the Michigan Infrastructure and Transportation Association is an update from the $2.2 billion gap projected in a 2016 study of needs commissioned by then-Gov. Rick Snyder.
The study explored several remedies, none of which likely would be politically popular, including big hikes on the gas tax, raising the sales tax, allowing communities to pursue sales tax increases and assessing a tax on vehicle miles driven. Even when accounting for additional state and federal funds put toward infrastructure spending, the estimated annual funding gap is now $2.1 billion to $3.9 billion per year, the study concluded. Failure to fix and maintain existing roads before they deteriorate further would significantly increase the state’s additional road funding needs, potentially up to $11 billion annually, the study concluded.
“The report makes it crystal clear that it’s time to take funding our infrastructure seriously,” Rob Coppersmith, executive vice president of the Michigan Infrastructure and Transportation Association, said during a Tuesday media event. “The problem you’re facing today is not just a funding issue, it’s a quality-of-life issue,” he continued. “Funding short-term road fixes by crisis can no longer be the way we fix our roads and keep them safe.”
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Speaker of the House, Kevin McCarthy is redefining transparency. McCarthy believes giving the tapes from the January 6, 2021 Capitol insurrection to only Tucker Carlson of Fox News is being transparent. Who cares if no other media member was given the tapes and Carlson is using the tapes to advance Carlson’s distorted view of what happened. By the time Carlson is done, his viewers are going to believe January 6, 2021, was nothing more than a bunch of patriotic citizens casually walking through the halls of congress in a very peaceful manner.
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Spring training is in full swing. It is the most important spring training in memory as umpires, players, coaches and fans are adjusting to the speed-up rules, pitcher and batter clocks, bigger bases, no defensive shifts, and limited time between batters. It is a whole new ballgame, and everyone is adjusting. In one instance a batter started his at bat with a one ball one strike count as neither he nor the pitcher were ready to go in the designated time. The umpire called a ball on the pitcher and a strike on the batter. Just like the Catholic League in SE Michigan.
In “Miggy’s” first at bat of spring training, he forgot all about the pitch clock and was talking away to the catcher and the umpire. He was shocked when the umpire called strike one on him for not being ready on time. One game was played in 2 hours and 17 minutes which has been unheard of in the last 10 years. In another game, a batter struck out in less than 20 seconds. By April 1, the adjustments will have been made and the games will be at least 20 minutes faster than previous years. In most instances, fans will be home from the game by 11PM following a 7 PM first pitch.
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The Men’s B1G basketball tournament starts today. Michigan plays Rutgers on Thursday in a must win game for both teams if they want to have any chance in getting an NCAA invite. The winner will play regular season champ Purdue on Friday. I do not recall a season like this season when being the favorite in the game means nothing. You either bring your A-game and play hard for 40 minutes or you lose. Thirty-eight minutes doesn’t always get the job done.
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Since arriving back from Gulf Shores late Thursday, it has been non-stop action for Leah and me. The snowstorm hit Friday night and we knew our serviceberry trees were in trouble. At one point Leah was trying to shake the snow off the tree because they were bent nearly to the ground. When we woke up Saturday, we lost 50% of one serviceberry and 25% of the other, plus two very large limbs from our silver maple.
On Sunday, I cut 40 three ft logs and Leah packed 18 leaf bags of twigs. She was a beast. Unfortunately, we are not done as there are still some limbs in the tree that I must cut down and cut into logs and bag. I will wait until the snow clears before I climb onto a ladder with a saw. By the time we went to bed Sunday night we were exhausted. See my Image of the Day
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Selling our home in Ypsilanti is becoming more and more of a reality. On Monday we met with the realtor and on Tuesday we met with the moving company. We now have a plan and major to-do list, which we are working every day. We will be putting the house on the market in a few weeks. I am excited and sad as I am looking forward to downsizing while at the same time it will be hard to leave the place we have called home for 37 years.
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I am in Petoskey as I write this evening. I arrived Tuesday evening. We had some remodeling and painting done while we were in Gulf Shores, so I am trying to put the place back together before we move in permanently in the next few months. On the way up I saw a bald eagle on the side of the road. I was no more than 20 feet from him/her when I passed. Beautiful, majestic, and big.
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Quote of the Day: “He said, ‘We’re both nightclub entertainers. We both don’t like working late, and we don’t like working much. Me and you will be great partners,'” “I said, ‘Well Belzer, you’re Jewish and I’m Black, so if the Klan come, I just gotta outrun you.’ ” The conversation between Richard Belzer and Ice-T when they first met on the set of Law-and-Order SVU.
Orchid of the Day: To our friends and family members who sent Leah and I nice messages yesterday on the anniversary of Leah’s mom’s murder 48 years ago and on the sudden death of Jack “Buzzy” Blair, who passed 11 years ago yesterday.
Onion of the Day: Governor Whitmer and the State legislature for continually ignoring the condition of our state’s roads and infrastructure. It makes no business sense to continue to kick the can down the road on this issue. It is only going to make it exponentially more expensive.
Question of the Day: Who will win the B1G Men’s Basketball Tournament?
Image of the Day: From our back door on Saturday morning looking at our serviceberry trees. It was hard to get to the garage and the snowblower.
On your way up north near mile marker 198 is a decorated Christmas tree. It was planted there after a young man was killed in an accident at that site. When you come back down and get to the area of that tree, look to the west. You will see a lot of low area and one huge tree. In that tree is a massive eagle nest. Saw two eagles in the nest in our way home. Beautiful and majestic. Take care my friend.
Scott,
That was close to where I saw the eagle. On my way up next time, I will look for the nest. Thanx my friend.
Biggs
Sorry for your loss of arborage but please don’t ever allow yourself to even suggest that a ladder and a chainsaw are in your future…70 year olds find someone much sprier to work above ground.
Brian,
It won’t be a chain saw. It will be a reciprocating saw. It will be a step ladder and I will only be a few feet off the ground.
Thanx for looking out for me.
Biggs