Comments on: Michigan exporing options to raise gasoline tax!

By: Ray

Ray — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:57:42 +0000

Dan – It has been proven time and time again revenues go up when you lower taxes (remember the great times during Clinton years – thank Ronald Reagan for that). Stop taxing the crap out of our businesses that supply jobs and pump mucho $$$ into our economy. Do you understand how the new business tax was an increase and tax on tax. Besides the winfall the state has had in gasoline sales tax, the state also cashed in on businesses. bologny they need to raise taxes for roads. I would be fine to drop the crappy business tax for a new gasoline tax – that would be far, then everyone has to pay.

By: Bender

Bender — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 02:18:47 +0000

Everyone here remember 5 years ago???? Does, ANYONE… I MEAN ANYONE remember that we were here 5 YEARS AGO???!!!! They said we needed to raise the GAS TAX 25%!!!!!!! to pay for road repairs. We said go ahead and the tax WENT UP 5 CENTS A GALLON!!!! NOW WE ARE IN THE SAME PREDICAMENT. DOES ANYONE PAY ATTENTION??? THEY KEEP UPPING IT AND UPPING IT AND THE PEOPLE THAT WERE 15 YEARS OLD 5 YEARS AGO THINK ITS A GREAT IDEA BECAUSE THEY DON’T REMEMBER….THIS IS GETTING ABSURD FOLKS AND IT NEEDS TO STOP….WE KEEP SENDING THEM YES AND MONEY AND VOTES AND THE ROADS GET WORSE AND WORSE AND WORSE. GET A HOLD OF YOURSELVES AND R-E-A-D….

By: DanielG

DanielG — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 01:46:35 +0000

Yes! Electronic billboards that show us that “No Problems Encountered” as we wait in a traffic jam due to a crash. The solari boards that go down every time it rains…in Iowa (sorta like our railroad signal system).
MAP did get the mayor of Kentwood and a couple of senators and house members on their side to help with that lobby too.
The guard rails get updated due to changing federal highway safety standards rulings.
As for Granholm getting a chance to do something? If the mention of taxes come up they run screaming from the state legislature! Oh woe is ME! I gots no moneys! Just look at todays forum. Again everyone wants something for nothing. One persons pork is another persons perk. Its gotta be done and if NOTHING is done then things just continue on a downhill slide.
Railroads can fill in, we are busy busy right now in GRR despite a downturn in the economy. Lottsa work and I can AFFORD to pay a lil higher tax. I don’t like it either but from a past job in the Kent County Road Commission (that was me leaning on that shovel) I know things need to be done and it isn’t cheap…unless you can get people to work for less, people to charge less and people to want and need less.
Hopefully Amtrak will get fully funded again and new routes and expanded services can begin…that takes pressure off the roads somewhat. Then again thats tax money too.
C’est la vie

By: Patrick

Patrick — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 01:21:43 +0000

Pointing the fault at a Gov from 2003 is just a bit of a stretch. Granholm has had PLENTY of time to do something- it’s been nearly 6 years. I see stupid pointless electronic billboards popping up, guardrail replacement (because shiny rails are so important since no one crashes into them), and other completely unnecessary road repair (I-96 in Marne, what a waste!)

Also- there IS an asphalt lobby that is extremely active. Michigan Asphalt Paving Association DID LOBBY for (successfully) paving M-6 in asphalt from I-96 to M-37 and look at what happened there. News 8 recently reported MDOT found it already needs repair.

I definitely agree with Dan on charging more taxes to trucks who are the near entire reason roads start to fail over time. I also agree with you on expanding rail- whatever happened there? Extremely cost effective and locomotives are very efficient. Sad that Americans have to have it there yesterday and can’t wait for things.

Dan said “Seems no one wants to pay for the highways we drive on.” Where have the taxes been going that we pay to the state for gas taxes and sales tax on gas? EDUCATION. We desperately need to have an amendment to our state constitution to correct that. Furthermore, with the Dem controlled House active, they’ve been moving funds meant for road repair all around. I don’t mean to play the blame game- Engler and Granholm both spent about the same on transportation, around 8% of the State budget.

By: DanielG

DanielG — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 23:10:51 +0000

And as for unions lobbying for certain building materials? Where did you get that one? Reading the GRPress last month it was the Mayor of Kentwood and a couple of republican house and senate folks that got the deteriorating part of M6 paved with asphalt instead of concrete materials. Do you think there is an asphalt union and a cement union? Ummm don’t think so but there is a Michigan Roadbuilders Association.

By: DanielG

DanielG — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 23:02:46 +0000

Ray, Ray, Ray, your suggestion then? How do we as a state raise revenue to improve and rebuild our deteriorating roads? Or do you know a contractor who works for free?
And I wasn’t blaming bush…although he is a moron…I blame a house and senate and engler for ‘no new taxes’ and then letting things deteriorate way too much. Now the chickens come home to roost and we have to raise money to fix it.
And again…billions in Federal money is out there but needs a state match to get it. Should we toss even more potential moneis for improvements to another state? Don’t think so.
Time to FACE THE SITUATION. Don’t throw a bucket of water on a house fire, call the fire department!
Or we can let the roads turn into dirt tracks and then listen to everyone pitch a *itch. That won’t cost anything will it?
And here is a proposition…put Michigan trucks into the same weight limits as the feds and other states have. Get rid of the 13 axles units we have and the 163K gross vehicle weight. Go to 5 axles and drop the GVW to 90K. You wanna hear some howling? Toss that one in the hat! Should do it and it would make the railroads in Michigan competative on shorter hauls again.
No free lunch, no free rides either.
Another idea…build roads as in Europe. Don’t give the contract to the lowest bidder, give it to the BEST BUILDER. Use the best materials too. Ever drive Das Autobahn? Nice stuff.

By: Ray

Ray — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 20:22:17 +0000

Dan, Dan, Dan,

did you forget who has had control of the congress/senate? The Dems silly boy, no big bailouts without them. Blame Bush typical B.S.

Higher taxes on anything in a down economy is a very bad idea – no matter what. ol mole face already raised taxes and guess what that equals, less revenue for the state. Cuz people moved and businesses left. Hello people!!

By: Eric

Eric — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 20:03:13 +0000

This is outrageous! Do our lawmakers actually believe that the gas prices will stay at this level???

By: Sam

Sam — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 18:45:05 +0000

I’d like to see some improvement to what they build our roads WITH!! We are not the only state with freeze and thaw issues and there are so many other states that have better roads than we do.

Like to know what they’re doing with the money they’re collecting to fix our roads with now.

Jenny – does she care if she raises our taxes?? Heck no, she’ll be moving to Washington if she has her way. Besides, she has already BLOWN MICHIGAN AWAY!!! I need to write a letter to Obama before he makes her an offer . . .

I’d like to know why with oil prices still falling practically daily, gas stations raised their prices yesterday to $2.09 in a lot of areas. I commend those who did not. i was lucky at filled up at Sam’s Club on Tuesday night and won’t need gas again till the end of next week unless for some strange reason I decide to take a road trip or something – which I doubt since there is no “discretionary” money left to spend!!! LOL!!

By: Daniel G

Daniel G — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 17:21:15 +0000

Seems no one wants to pay for the highways we drive on. But let them get bad and the kvetching begins! The last governor did NOT put money into the roads and didn’t raise the tax either. Let them smile as they drive TODAY and when the roads go down the crapper I’ll be gone anyway.
Its MUCH easier to maintain as you go rather than rebuild from the ground up. It takes MONEY to do that. It also takes MATCHING funds from the people of Michigan to get federal money. You don’t match the funds 49 other states are more then glad to take our money!
Cutting taxes isn’t going to make it and raising them is about the only way to go. A little here, a little there would help a long way towards making roads and bridges better.
I’m looking forward to the next president and the plans to spend real money on our infrastructure. Imagine what $700 BILLION would have done for highways, Amtrak, airports…the list goes on.
If you have the money to putter away on your computer you can afford a higher fuel tax to pay for roads.