DETROIT – In her first budget address, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer will ask for a 45-cent increase in gas taxes per gallon.
Legislators estimate it would bring in between $2.5-$2.6 billion. The money would go to overhaul Michigan’s tattered infrastructure.
“Wow, yeah, I don’t think this is the way to do it,” Alvin Dillapree said.
While filling up his SUV, he did some quick calculations in his head.
“I don’t know exactly how to do it but I do know the taxpayers didn’t sign up for this,” he said.
Dillapree’s sentiments echo what we’re hearing out of Lansing legislators. As is, they see the 45-cent hike as dead on arrival. A smaller gas tax hike combined with other revenue options would be a starter.
Appearing on Flashpoint with Devin Scillian, Whitmer made it clear she thinks the word tax gets a bad rap.
“That word has been so vilified,” Whitmer said. “It’s destructive to a conversation we have to talk about investing in ourselves.”
Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey said he wants to hear the details of the governor’s budget address but would rather concentrate on lowering auto insurance rates before considering a gas tax.
Tuesday’s budget address doesn’t deal with infrastructure alone. Expect to hear more detail on how Whitmer expects to fund $507 million more for K-12 education.