State Rep. Brian BeGole, of Antrim Township, today voted for proposals that will put more money each year towards local roads without more taxes or additional debt.

The legislation – House Bills 4180-87 and 4230 – would commit an extra $3 billion to roads annually, including $2.5 billion to local roads. These resources will be critical for communities and counties throughout Michigan that have been forced to delay projects or shift money away from other critical services to fund repairs.

“Making sure our roads are properly funded has been something that’s been kicked around in Lansing for years, but it just keeps getting kicked down the road, and actually getting it done has proved to be elusive,” BeGole said. “With this plan, we can give communities and counties vital resources to fix roads from driveway to highway that people use every day. It’s a responsible plan that uses existing dollars and puts them towards a priority that an overwhelming majority of people in our state share.”

The roads plan would rededicate $2.2 billion from the Corporate Income Tax (CIT) to roads, shifting $220 million to the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), $1.1 billion to counties, and $880 million to cities and villages. The plan would also reallocate hundreds of millions of dollars from expiring or inefficient spending programs.

The bills remove the sales tax on fuel and replace it with a fair, fixed motor fuel tax, securing nearly another $1 billion for roads without raising taxes. The legislation will hold school funding harmless by dedicating $755 million in sales tax revenue to account for the decrease in what is normally allocated through gasoline sales tax.

BeGole noted key differences between the advancing House Republican plan and what the governor has recently touted. While the House Republican plan does not raise taxes, the governor’s proposal for getting more money to roads comes with the potential for additional taxes and fees involving retail delivery, internet advertising, or using transportation services like Uber.

“There’s more than enough money at the state level to put more towards local roads,” BeGole said. “We don’t need more taxes. This is the best plan that’s been put forward to fix local infrastructure, and it does so responsibly.”