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Old 05-26-2014, 12:29 PM
 
231 posts, read 392,712 times
Reputation: 325

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If there is one thing people hate in Michigan, it's big government projects. If someone wants build a bridge or pour money into infrastructure, Michiganders grab their pitchforks. That's why our roads are terrible. Other states have tolls, as anyone driving through Ohio quickly learns. And on the topic of Ohio, practically any suburb of note there has a city income tax to (in part) help fund infrastructural improvements!

Could you imagine?

In Michigan, though, whenever the image of giving money to a big entity is brought up, immediately people reflect on the examples of Detroit and the unions. "That," Joe from Fowlerville says, "is what happens when you give bureaucracies money!"

When it comes to taxes and fees, Michigan is suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. From the eyes of its embattled citizens, every public dollar carries the seeds of corruption and only chronic underfunding can root it out once it's entrenched. People would rather replace their tires and get realignments every 1/2 year then give the government money to fix the roads. Because at least we know where our money goes at the auto shop - somewhere besides Kwame's wallet.

Can Michigan ever recover from the psychic damage?
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Old 05-26-2014, 01:49 PM
 
8,544 posts, read 12,311,430 times
Reputation: 16448
You obviously have not traveled around Michigan--otherwise you would have easily seen that Michigan is loaded with "big government projects": a vast array of highway projects usurping thousands of acres of land. But don't you realize that government employees do not construct and maintain those highways? Do you have any idea how many of the private contractors have unionized employees? I rather doubt that you do.

Semi-rants such as yours are simply noise.

But one thing is clear: Governor Snyder and his Republican ilk are bent on raising our gas taxes to unconscionable levels--all so they can continue to build more highways. This is being done under the guise of repairing potholes, which people are falling for, but wasteful billion-dollar construction projects are already being planned. The state Department of Transportation (sic) is one of the most wasteful, empire-building type government bureaucracies around. Hold on to your wallets; it's going to be a bumpy ride (and I'm not talking 'bout potholes!).
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Old 05-26-2014, 06:53 PM
 
7,072 posts, read 9,562,492 times
Reputation: 4531
Quote:
Originally Posted by one is lonely View Post
If there is one thing people hate in Michigan, it's big government projects. If someone wants build a bridge or pour money into infrastructure, Michiganders grab their pitchforks. That's why our roads are terrible. Other states have tolls, as anyone driving through Ohio quickly learns. And on the topic of Ohio, practically any suburb of note there has a city income tax to (in part) help fund infrastructural improvements!
Tell me where exactly the toll boths on I-75 in Ohio are located.
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Old 05-27-2014, 04:28 AM
 
Location: West Michigan
3,119 posts, read 6,575,769 times
Reputation: 4543
I don't agree with hardly anything in your post, but it's probably true that unions are not beneficial when it comes to our roads. If only because a lot of dollars end up going to pay prevailing wages instead of paying for nice pavement.
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Old 05-27-2014, 07:10 AM
 
915 posts, read 1,496,396 times
Reputation: 1360
A lot of the problem is that the gasoline tax money goes into the general fund. It pays (in part) for K-12 schools and other non-road related projects.

During Granholm, road money was used to fix budget holes because of the balanced budget amendment. The budget is constitutionally required to be balanced.

We have the money, but we don't exclusively spend it on roads/road repair.

It's really about priorities and how we choose to spend tax dollars. We will always have the "no new taxes folks", but the real problem is that the gas tax money isn't exclusively set aside for roads/road repair and that would require passing legislation to change that. Then you'd get the education folks up in arms screaming about how we want to take money away from the children........who are (sniffle) already suffering (tears, more tears.....)

It's easier to take money away from the roads than it is the kiddos, so that's what they do.
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Old 05-27-2014, 07:58 AM
 
Location: Central Mass
4,576 posts, read 4,825,077 times
Reputation: 5291
I-94 between Detroit and Ann Arbor is constantly under construction!

California doesn't have toll roads, and most of the roads are smooth.
Massachusetts has toll roads, and roads that are on par with Michigan.
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Old 05-27-2014, 08:16 AM
 
2,210 posts, read 3,477,957 times
Reputation: 2240
Quote:
Originally Posted by ram2 View Post
Tell me where exactly the toll boths on I-75 in Ohio are located.
I-90 to Cleveland is a toll road.
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Old 05-27-2014, 08:24 AM
 
Location: Where the heart is...
4,927 posts, read 5,286,765 times
Reputation: 10673
Quote:
Originally Posted by scorpio516 View Post
I-94 between Detroit and Ann Arbor is constantly under construction!

California doesn't have toll roads, and most of the roads are smooth.
Massachusetts has toll roads, and roads that are on par with Michigan.
California does not have the four seasons weather of either Massachusetts or Michigan; just saying.
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Old 05-27-2014, 09:16 AM
 
Location: Central Mass
4,576 posts, read 4,825,077 times
Reputation: 5291
Quote:
Originally Posted by HomeIsWhere... View Post
California does not have the four seasons weather of either Massachusetts or Michigan; just saying.
Thanks for beating my point over the head...
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Old 05-27-2014, 06:29 PM
 
7,072 posts, read 9,562,492 times
Reputation: 4531
Quote:
Originally Posted by Arthur Digby Sellers View Post
I-90 to Cleveland is a toll road.
I-75, I-77, and I-70 in Ohio are not toll roads and are not full of potholes.
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