State Rep. Diana Farrington, of Utica, today issued the following statement after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced her state budget proposal:

“Like many hard-working Macomb County families, I wholeheartedly believe the governor’s proposed 45-cent per gallon gas tax increase – the nation’s highest – would make a bad situation worse.

“Michigan drivers are already paying the highest car insurance rates in the country. If we were to implement the governor’s gas tax hike, Michigan families will not be moving forward – they’ll be in reverse.

“I am all for fixing the roads, but the governor’s plan to triple the gas tax is not the best solution for Michigan. I will continue to work with my House colleagues, the Senate and the governor’s office to find different, viable areas to help adequately fund our state’s roadways without asking drivers to pay even more at the pump.”