If Michigan follows the road other states and countries are driving, motorists are going to get taxed for how much they travel. And if this is the path Michigan intends to take, then it has suddenly forgotten that while the state might not have any money, neither do its citizens.
Discussions around Lansing about funding to fix the state’s infrastructure have taken a perilous turn, as a popular idea emerging would tax drivers for how much they drive. According to an article in Tuesday’s edition of The Lansing State Journal, an estimated $3.4 billion is spent per year on fixing Michigan roads. Experts said the state should shell out $6 billion per year.
The plan to tax drivers places blame unfairly on citizens for Michigan’s road conditions. First, the suburb structure of Michigan’s communities makes driving long distances essential for work. The citizen should not be penalized for urban planning that occurred 50 years ago. We are only now realizing that the suburb structure is inefficient, but that should be a reason to design communities better, not a reason for taxation.
Additionally, much of the damage done to roads comes from the freeze and thaw effect that comes with winter. If we are going to tax citizens, the state should not make exceptions — let’s get Mother Nature’s address and make her pay, too.
Yes, visitors to Michigan would probably think this state was caught in a war given the way the roads look. And with the hundreds of closed-down businesses, “For Sale” signs on front lawns and welfare offices being the busiest establishments, maybe this is a state that looks a bit the part of war-torn.
And that’s why we can’t afford to be taxed.
This is the worst of all times to be taxed. This is the state with the most outbound movement and the highest unemployment rate, and people are thinking about raising taxes. Raising taxes is wrong not only for the private citizen who is seeing disposable income vanish as if it were air soluble, but it is also wrong for the businesses the state hopes to entice. Money has to come from somewhere for state operations to continue, but it should not come from the citizens who have very little to give in the first place.
The state should emphasize spending cuts and reallocation before citizens or businesses are taxed. Gov. Jennifer Granholm would save the state some money by consolidating state departments to shave unnecessary bureaucracy. The state also could save money through corrections reform, which could include incarcerating fewer people for misdemeanor offenses and allowing more prisoners to end their sentence before their maximum term is served. Also, legislative conference trips to places such as Mackinac Island must come to an end.
The state should be concerned with putting money in people’s pockets, not taking it away. That is why a widespread public works program would both improve the state’s infrastructure while giving more people a source of income, the funding of which should come from cuts and reallocation.
Michigan’s citizens have given so much already. The state is out of touch if it’s asking citizens to give more of their money.
Support student media!
Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
Discussion
Share and discuss “Driver tax illogical way to fix Mich. roads” on social media.
