Is anyone else as angry about the leadership of this state as I am?
Three years ago, Governor Whitmer’s campaign slogan was “Fix the Damn Roads”. Here we are three years later, and the roads are still a mess. In fact, I believe they are worse now than they were three years ago. Upon my return from Alabama, I am finding myself determining my route to get somewhere based on the conditions of the roads between here and there. There are some “potholes” in the area that will swallow up smaller cars and reek-havoc with the wheels and tires of most cars. Washtenaw Avenue between Golfside and US 23 is an obstacle course. Riding my bike in the area requires my full attention so I won’t get thrown over the handlebars if I hit a pothole.
Prior to the pandemic, I thought the problem was funding, but with all the stimulus and infrastructure money that has been provided to the states, money is no longer an issue. The issue is politics. The governor and the leaders of the house and senate do not talk to each other. They make sound bites to the press and hope the electorate thinks the other party is the problem. Yesterday was a perfect example of the absurdity of the leadership of the two parties.
First, Whitmer announced that she along with six other governors have petitioned the president and congress to wave the $0,19 per gallon federal portion of the gas tax for the remainder of the year. The state Republican leadership called it an idiotic idea to ask the feds for relieve when the state can waive the $0.28 per gallon state tax for the remainder of the year. It is clear the party leaders did not talk to each other prior to making their own announcements.
It seems to me they both want relief for the taxpayers, but rather than finding common ground, we get sound bites and press releases. In the meantime, the taxpayers are not getting relief. That is not leadership. Leadership is working together to find common ground which will meet the needs of the citizens.
This brings me back to the roads. As I recall, a survey from a few years back indicated a large majority of the citizens want the roads fixed and they are willing to pay an appropriate amount of higher taxes to get the roads fixed, providing the higher tax is specifically dedicated to the roads and is 100% incremental to the current funding levels. I support this approach. Fast forward three years later, the state is sitting on excess funds due to federal stimulus and infrastructure programs, yet the governor and the legislative leadership cannot get together to develop a plan to Fix the Damn Roads. The whole thing disgusts me.
In the meantime, I am going to be “rerouting” as I avoid potholes that will soon become craters. Pretty soon my Waze app is going to change the warning on the app. Rather than the warning, “Pothole on the road ahead,” it is going to be “Road on the pothole ahead”
Orchid of the Day: Naz Hillmon, the first four-time first-team all-Big Ten selection in Michigan women’s basketball history is a candidate for the Naismith National Player of the Year Award.
Onion of the Day: The governor and the leadership of the state legislature. Again!!!!!!!!!!!!
Quote of the Day: “Pothole on the road ahead.” my Waze app over and over again.
Video of the Day: Maksim Chmerkovskiy Emotionally Reunites With Wife Peta Murgatroyd