COLDWATER (WTVB) – The complexities of the May Fifth Proposal One ballot issue to increase the state sales tax from six to seven percent to help fix and maintain Michigan’s crumbling roads and transportation infrastructure were on display last night at a town hall forum in Coldwater.
Around 50 people turned out at the Community Health Center of Branch County Conference center to hear details of the road fix plan and how other monies from the proposal, if it passes, would generate new funding for schools, cities, and the state’s general fund. The forum was presented by Branch County’s lawmakers in Lansing, State Senator Mike Shirkey and House Representative Eric Leutheuser and Shirkey told the audience to begin the program that the issue can be contentious with a lot of different opinions to go around. However, he urged them to focus closely on the Proposal One details presented last night by Paul Ajegba, a Regional Engineer for the Michigan Department of Transportation. Shirkey said there would be plenty of time later to talk about the politics involved and the legislation last fall that led up to the ballot question.
Ajegba’s comments included how crucial roads are to one of Michigan’s major industries, tourism and how 80% of it is auto connected. He also questioned what happens if proposal one fails and nothing happens, considering there is no plan B right now, and contending that the state’s transportation infrastructure will continue to deteoriate at a rate that is not sustainable. Proposal One would generate a projected one and a quarter billion dollars a year for roads but also generate a total of $600 million a year in new funding for schools, cities, counties and townships and the state’s general fund by fiscal year 2018.
