Proposed gas tax hike riles gas station owners

The Grand Rapids Press ^ | December 17, 2008 | Ken Kolker

[george76]

A proposed gasoline tax hike to fix the state's crumbling roads and bridges is pitting road builders against gasoline station owners, who say it would give Michigan the highest tax in the nation.

With the proposed hike being considered by the lame duck state Legislature, Michigan would jump ahead of California, the nation's current No. 1...

"It's the last thing this ailing economy needs right now," ... "Cheap fuel prices are fueling the (economic) activity we have now. Taxing gasoline to fix roads is an old way of doing it."

A recent poll of truckers ranked Michigan interstates as the ninth roughest in the country. The Reason Foundation's 2007 annual report on state highways ranked Michigan's rural interstates as the nation's second-worst, behind New Hampshire.

Michigan now has the nation's fifth-highest gasoline tax, including state and federal taxes, at 59.4 cents a gallon. California's is 67.1 cents.

"I put it down to three issues: It's too quick, it's too complicated and it's too much,"

[george76]

Open the state road repair contracts up to ALL companies, union & non-union alike, and I'd bet we see a lot more road repairs being completed for our dollars than the current prevailing wage only contracts provide.

ht comments

[george76]

[TCats]

That and actually perform work that lasts longer than a couple of years. I've lived or traveled extensively in almost every State and Michigan has the worst maintenance program I've ever seen. The repairs are simply expensive cosmetics and seldom last more than a couple of years despite the complete replacement of an affected roadway and base.

I've always attributed it to lousy contractors using shoddy methods and materials while at the same time giving generous contributions (Or worse) to select officials.

[richardtavor]

It will further limit auto sales in Michigan, so just drive the stake into the heart of your main industry, putzs...

[bergmeid]

Please. After four years of the big Zero we will all be paying $7 a gallon, just like in Europe. Hiking gas prices is what socialists do best.

[pineybill]

Makes sense to me. A state dependent upon the Auto industry increases gas taxes, which logically would cause a reduction in miles driven and the demand for autos.

[sionnsar]

who say it would give Michigan the highest tax in the nation.

I'd been thing about taking the goodwife on a tour of the state (she's never been there) but... it can wait another year or ten.

[tired1]

In the Ukraine I asked a maintenance contractor why the repairs were so lousy. He replied that if his crew did a good job there wouldn't be any funds the next year.

Sounds lodical.

[SunkenCiv]

thanks geo. They’d better get used to it.

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[Paladin2]

MI allows trucks to weigh up 160,000#, 2x that of the other states.

Though those heavier trucks are required to have more axles/tires to keep the unit loading equal, the dynamics still end up with more truck road damage. Along with a winter in the South that has many days with a freeze thaw cycle daily (and more freeze/thaw cycles caused by using salt), the roads get severely pounded.

[annelizly]

I live in michigan, and i’v also traveled quite a bit and I don’t notice that our roads are worse than anywhere else.

I also think that how the gas taxes have been spent in the past needs to be reviewed before asking for more.

Prices for gas are down now but there is NO GUARANTEE that the prices won’t rise again.

Our economy is the worst in the country. Houses going into forclosure left and right. The citizens of this state DO NOT need anymore taxes!!!!

[earlJam]

Here's what our roads look like in Michigan.

[SunkenCiv]

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[eyedigress]

Overdrive magazine’s 13th annual Best, Worst Roads survey result

Worst Roads by state
1. Arkansas
2. Illinois
3. Pennsylvania
4. Louisiana
5. New York, Michigan (tie)

Worst Roads by segment
1. I-40 through Arkansas
2. I-94 in Chicago
3. I-10 through Louisiana
4. I-70 from Kansas City to St. Louis
5. I-30 from Little Rock to Texarkana, Ark.

Factors that make these roads the worst
1. Potholes
2. Patches
3. Cracks
4. Congestion & traffic
5. Constant construction

Best Roads by state
1. Florida
2. Tennessee
3. Texas and Georgia (tie)
4. Pennsylvania
5. Indiana

Best Roads by segment
1. I-75 through Florida
2. I-75 through Georgia
3. I-10 through Texas
4. I-40 from Memphis to Knoxville
5. I-39 from Bloomington to Rockford, IL

Most Improved by state
1. Pennsylvania
2. Louisiana
3. Texas
4. Illinois
5. Florida

Most Improved by segment
1. I-80 through Pennsylvania
2. I-20 through Louisiana
3. I-55 through Illinois
4. I-10 through Texas
5. I-81 through Pennsylvania

[eyedigress]

How Penn got 3rd worst and 4th best is a formula not readily available to me.

[MSF BU]

You’ll be redistricting in three years, I hope there are enough Republicans in the legisture to gerrymander in our favor, since Michigan will surely lose at least one seat in congress.

[MSF BU]

Good to see NH on the lower end of the scale. We’ll see how long that lasts.

[Darren McCarty]

I think this gas tax is dead...at least this lame duck session. Next year? We’ll see.

[calex59]

A proposed gasoline tax hike to fix the state's crumbling roads and bridges is pitting road builders against gasoline station owners, who say it would give Michigan the highest tax in the nation.

[calex59]

A proposed gasoline tax hike to fix the state's crumbling roads and bridges is pitting road builders against gasoline station owners, who say it would give Michigan the highest tax in the nation.

These a**hats act as if we don't already have gas taxes for building roads and infrastructure, the fact is the states(some of them)take the gas taxes and spend them on anything but roads. NO MORE TAXES! People who vote for Democrats and RINO republicans are out their minds!