WARREN, Mich. – Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has proposed a 45-cent gas tax increase to fix the roads. It's a big part of her first budget address, which will take place Tuesday.
One member of the Legislature told Local 4 that a $2.5 billion tax increase, which is what they estimate the tax increase would generate, is never going to make it.
"Fix the damn roads" was the pitch Whitmer made while running for office, and while most residents agree there's plenty to fix, the question is how to do it.
Legislators said they expected a more nuanced solution than a 45-cent increase to the gas tax.
That higher tax would show up in stages, not all at once. It amounts to an estimate of $2.5 to $2.6 billion, according to one legislator.
An official response from Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey said he'll wait to hear the totality of Whitmer's plans Tuesday, but he'd like the governor to work with the Legislature to save people money by reforming car insurance, which is a priority before considering a gas tax increase.
You can watch Mara MacDonald's full story in the video posted above.