EDITOR:

Well, Governor Whitmer let the cat out of the bag regarding the real reason behind her new gas tax hike. It is to make general fund dollars, currently used for roads, to be re-allocated for her to spend on pet projects. The Aug. 16 Daily Press article titled “Governor talks roads, Line 5 at fair” reports that, when asked about cost for lead pipe replacement that the city of Escanaba is incurring, the Governor said “her gas tax could indirectly allow the state to help with the costs. So that’s a part of when we fix the roads at the pump, we can actually get general fund dollars back into the general fund” she declared.

So this means that her gas tax hike money is going to replace general fund dollars currently used to maintain roads? And not be in addition to what is currently being spent? We are already supporting the roads at the pump with the 6 percent sales tax on gasoline, as well as sales tax on vehicle purchases. This money currently goes into the general fund, which supports road maintenance. It sounds like these general fund dollars previously used for road maintenance will go toward lead pipe replacement and who knows what else. She inadvertently revealed that her “roads” tax is just another tax increase shell game, one unfortunately that disproportionately affects the poor and working class, which spend a much higher percentage of their income on gasoline.

Mike Martin

Gladstone