NO MORE GAS TAX by Tim Lintz

[Tim Lintz]

NO MORE GAS TAX

The Michigan Senate just passed a bill that is on its way to the House of Representative for their approval (HB5477).  You may want to contact your State House of Representative member and ask him to vote no on this bill.  This bill will allow the state to increase our gas tax by about 1.2 billion dollars or an additional 9.5 to 15.5% per gallon, in phases over the next 4 years, according to the “Senate Fiscal Agency”.  The gas tax now, a combination of Federal and State tax, is at 59.7 cents per gallon already.  At this time our state can boast the 6^th highest gas tax in the country while the quality of the roads is among the worst in the country (rated 43rd out of our 50 states).  Michigan allocates about 2.5 billion dollars each year for roads already.  Maybe the problem isn’t in the lack of money to keep our roads in the condition they should be in; maybe it’s in the management of the money already given by us the tax payers.  Maybe if they were able to spend our money on repairing the roads and bridges instead of spending it on things that could wait like bike paths, mass transit, tunnels under and over roads for people to walk through;  or roundabout's that the residents don’t want or need.  I guess what I’m saying is that perhaps instead of asking for more taxes all the time the state and the people making the decisions on how to spend this money need to take another look at their priorities. Spend the money on what the people really want and need.  Money for bike paths and mass transit trains need to come from another source and not the gasoline tax.  Use the money for what it is intended for: improve the roads!!    

Tim Lintz

Elba Township

810-667-6959