Republicans officially intro bills for plan funded entirely by existing state resources

State Rep. Pat Outman, chair of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, today announced that the House Republican road funding plan has officially been introduced in the form of an eight-bill package that focuses on one main goal: fixing the roads without massive tax hikes.

The Republican plan will dedicate an additional $3.1 billion to fixing our crumbling infrastructure every year without raising taxes. The money will come from:

• Ending corporate welfare and similar earmarks ($1.1 billion)

• Increased revenue from higher tax returns ($600 million)

• Cutting pork barrel spending ($500 million)

• Dedicating all taxes paid at the pump to roads ($945 million)

The Republican plan and the governor’s plan that followed months later may appear similar from the outside, but they differ significantly in terms of funding source. Outman said if the governor doesn’t agree to Republicans’ reprioritization of existing tax revenues, there’s no other way to fund it than dipping deeper into the pockets of Michigan citizens.

“Michigan families are already struggling with higher costs, yet the governor’s answer is more taxes – but there’s a better way to get it done,” said Outman (R-Six Lakes). “All the money we need is already at our disposal. We just need to stop spending it on corporate handouts and pork projects and start investing in what the people of Michigan really need: better and safer roads – especially the local ones people travel on each day.”

Outman’s bill in the package, House Bill 4187, redirects $2.2 billion in corporate income tax revenue to fund roads, including using the existing $600 million currently being dedicated to things like housing for illegal immigrants and SOAR-funded corporate subsidies for big businesses that are actively laying off Michigan workers.

“The projects the state has been backing have created few jobs despite large subsidies, and some of the projects have potentially dangerous ties to organizations affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party,” Outman said. “By allowing this automatic funding earmark to expire, our plan will not only invest in our roads, but it will also require the governor to make a good case for funding any potential SOAR project in the future.”

Other sponsors of the plan include Reps. Steele, Frisbie, Slagh, Kunse, Thompson, Linting and Carra.

The House Republican plan is a real, permanent solution to Michigan’s crumbling road crisis with no new taxes. HBs 4180-87 were referred to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

###