Let’s keep this short and sweet. Okay, at least short.
We asked our state officials to do one simple thing ? fix our crumbling roads (which shouldn’t have been allowed to get this bad in the first place).
In return, they answered our request with a question.
They’re asking us to approve the insanely-complicated and ill-conceived bundle of tax increases known as Proposal 1.
It’s a bald-faced, dastardly lie to say that Proposal 1 is all about fixing our state’s rapidly-deteriorating roads.
Of the $2 billion in additional state tax revenue that Proposal 1 would generate, approximately 40 percent is slated to go to public schools, local governments, rail/mass transit, tax relief for low-to-moderate income wage earners and the state’s general fund and recreation improvement account.
Much of this additional tax revenue has nothing to do with roads and everything to do with all the hungry hogs bellying up to the trough to dip their snouts in the fresh slop.
On top of that, in the first two years, a total of $1.2 to $1.3 billion would be used to pay down existing debt incurred by the Michigan Department of Transportation for past projects.
Roads wouldn’t actually begin to receive their full $1.2 billion per year share of Proposal 1 until 2018.
Tell us again how it’s all about fixing these terrible roads that are damaging our vehicles and rattling our teeth, so we can shout from the hilltops, ‘Liar, liar, pants on fire!?
There’s no way the average hard-working Michigan household should willingly agree to increase its annual tax burden by an additional $500 for this shameful sham. We don’t care what the Nerd in Lansing says.
Don’t be fooled by those lame political ads that claim Proposal 1 is all about potholes and public safety. It’s nothing but another good, old-fashioned government money-grab concocted by greedy politicians.
We strenuously urge Oxford and Addison residents to vote NO on Proposal 1 when they go to the polls on May 5.
Maybe we should fill our potholes with politicians. It might be the only time in history they actually prove useful.
Then again, manure isn’t the best paving material. ? CJC