Gov. Whitmer Prepares Next Steps on Fixing Roads, Details to Come Soon

Governor Gretchen Whitmer plans to lay out her next steps toward fixing Michigan roads during her 2020 State of the State address to the Legislature on Jan. 29. 

Shortly after she took office, Whitmer proposed a 45 cents per gallon fuel tax to pay for road and infrastructure repairs. That idea got little support from lawmakers, especially Republicans. 

According to the Detroit Free Press, the Democratic governor recently told business leaders in Saginaw that she wanted to do “triage” on the roads — that is, assess their condition to make sure they’re not beyond repair.

Whitmer told WDET’s Pat Batcheller it’s nothing different than what she’s said before.

“We’ve got to triage our failing infrastructure,” Whitmer says. 

She also repeated her signature 2018 campaign pledge.

“I’m going to do what I can to fix the damn roads.” — Gov. Whitmer

She did not offer specifics, however, promising to share more details in her State of the State speech. Whitmer says Republican lawmakers have yet to offer a serious infrastructure plan. 

Report a pothole here

“At the end of the day, the Legislature is either going to run on a dirt roads agenda, or they’re going to get serious about working with me,” Whitmer says.

Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey (R-Clarklake) has suggested adjusting Michigan’s 6% sales tax as a way to raise revenue for roads. He suggested the tax could be increased or expanded to cover more goods and services.

“My focus is to make sure that whatever we do has the best chance to be sustainable and we don’t have to revisit it again, and again, and again,” Shirkey told Michigan Public Radio’s Rick Pluta.

Whitmer says she’s glad Shirkey acknowledges the problem but stopped short of endorsing his idea.

“Until they really put something of substance on the table, it’s hard to take that seriously,” Whitmer says.

Click on the audio player to hear the governor’s conversation with WDET’s Pat Batcheller, and read a transcript, edited for clarity, below.

Pat Batcheller, 101.9 FM, WDET: You recently told business leaders in Saginaw that your immediate focus will be doing triage on the roads. What does that mean?

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer: It’s no different than anything I’ve been saying all along. We’ve got to triage our failing infrastructure. I put out a plan last year that would have put us in a position to not just do that, but to properly fund education for our kids, close the skills gap in Michigan, and clean up drinking water. The Legislature never got serious enough or offered an alternative. I’m going to continue to move forward and you’ll learn more about what I’m going to during the State of the State address.

Jake Neher/WDET

You know how much money you need. You proposed a 45-cent fuel tax. That went nowhere. You’ve hinted at a range of other revenue sources. Might that include toll roads, and what would it take to raise more than $2 billion dollars a year for roads?

I think there needs to be a conversation at the Capitol. I tried to get it started last year. I’m going to do what I can to fix the damn roads. But at the end of the day, this Legislature is either going to run on a dirt roads agenda, or it’s going to get serious about working with me to fix these roads and to do it right. I encourage anyone who’s listening that cares about the pothole “Armageddon” that’s coming this spring, to get on the horn and tell their legislators to get serious. These Republican leaders in the Legislature just haven’t done a thing yet, and it’s time.

Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey has suggested an adjustment in the sales tax, maybe an increase, maybe expanding it to cover more goods and services. What are your thoughts?

I said that a year ago, and then I put a real plan on the table and no one countered. I’m glad that they’ve acknowledged the problem, but until they really put something of substance on the table, it’s hard to take that seriously. If they’re serious about working with me, I’m eager to do that. But I’m not going to wait around.

What won’t you consider?

Well, I won’t consider stealing money out of the teacher pension system to fix a few potholes. I won’t consider selling bridges. One was proposed by Senate Republicans, the other was proposed by House Republicans. What I will consider is anything that goes toward the roads and helps us bend the curve. Our infrastructure system is deteriorating and we have to get serious, because it’s getting dangerous, and if we don’t do anything it’s going to be out of our ability to even fix it.

Aren’t we past that point? Do you have time to do triage, or might the patient — in this case the roads — die without immediate treatment?

I’m focused on fixing the roads. We’re going to push ahead. If the Legislature gets serious, then maybe we can have a long-term comprehensive solution. But in the meantime, you’re going to have to wait until State of the State to find out what I want to get started doing this spring.