State Rep. Donni Steele, R-Orion Township, released the following statement today in response to the governor’s executive budget recommendations. Steele serves as vice chair of the transportation appropriations subcommittee.

“The governor is asking us to spend millions upon millions of dollars on expensive new pet programs the state just cannot sustain. She is again ignoring the basics of budgeting we all were supposed to learn back in high school.

“There is no substantive plan in this budget for fixing local roads. The governor still isn’t making our crumbling infrastructure a priority. She’s touting her borrowed road funding. But not only will our kids have to pay that back, but that money won’t even be used to fix local roads.

“Broken roads are draining savings accounts across Michigan. Reports last fall found that our crumbling infrastructure costs drivers $4.3 billion a year. Motorists are supposed to be able to get reimbursed for repair expenses, yet less than $150,000 of that $4.3 billion has been returned to the public since 2018. We’re talking about an average of $1,093 per household spent solely on vehicle repairs.

“The state needs to put our focus back on the fundamental role of government. That starts with fulfilling promises by fixing potholes.”

###