Issue Position: Safe and Modern Infrastructure

Issue Position

Safe and modern infrastructure: Michigan has some of the worst roads in the country. Failing roads & bridges risk the safety of our families, while damage to our vehicles from endless potholes harms our budgets with yet another expense. Lansing's neglect of our infrastructure also discourages badly needed economic investment in our state when companies see how poorly we maintain the infrastructure they need as they decide whether to create jobs and invest here. I am committed to multi-pronged solutions and to finally closing the gap between the roads we have and the roads we need.

Instead of standing up to special interests and making sure they pay their fair share for use of our roads, our current representative supported a new law that raises road funding on the backs of hardworking Michiganders who are already hurting from the cost of repairs to their vehicles damaged by pothole filled roads, increasing vehicle registration fees by 20% and increasing the gas tax. Because I take no contributions from special interests, I am free to serve the citizens of Michigan and work to make sure all pay their fair share to invest in our infrastructure.

Incredibly, we allow the heaviest trucks in the nation to travel through our state for a mere $50 flat fee while Ohio and Wisconsin charge nearly eight times that. Recovering this revenue must be part of the solution to rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure.. I will sponsor legislation that brings our fee structure to where neighboring states are and make sure the increased revenue goes where it belongs - to fix our roads.

I believe in everyone paying their fair share to invest in modern and safe roads and bridges. I will support closing tax loopholes - special interests should be paying for the infrastructure they use.

It is past time for our legislature to treat aging and crumbling infrastructure as what it is - a true hazard to the health and safety of our families. I will work for a comprehensive infrastructure package that ensures public safety and does more than short term fixes.

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