State Rep. Douglas Wozniak, of Shelby Township, today issued the following statement in response to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s veto of particular items in the state budget for the 2019-20 fiscal year:

 “Not only has the governor vindictively taken away $375 million from Michigan’s roads, she appears to still believe taxing residents more at the pump is the best way to raise funds for repairs. Her original recommendation to increase the gas tax by 45-cents per gallon was seen as incredibly unpopular, but she refused every alternative roads plan the Legislature has proposed to her since.

“The governor clearly connected with Michigan drivers on a campaign promise to fix roads, but her disconnect on how to pay for it couldn’t be more clear – and it’s led us to where we are at today. I will continue working for residents in Macomb County with long work commutes who have reached out to me about how severely they would be impacted by an extra $6 to $10 each time they fill up at the pump.

“To make matters worse, Gov. Whitmer has also axed Pure Michigan, the state’s popular tourism promotion program that brings in tourists and revenue from all over the world, helping local economies across the state. The whole point of her 45-cent gas tax hike was to bring in more revenue to repair the roads, and now it seems the governor is insistent on reducing the amount of revenue our state makes off tourism. The political games need to stop. We need to make sure we are respecting taxpayers’ hard-earned money, but we also must not hinder one of Michigan’s leading industries that provides giant benefits for our state.”

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