The road to nowhere

A version of this column originally appeared in Michigan Advance.

As a Michigander, I know that our state’s roads are poor at best. Whenever I travel outside the state, I don’t need a sign on the border to know I am home, because as soon as I hit that first pothole, I know I am home. Roads are critical for economic development and growth, and because of this, we understand that not only should they remain well-kept, but also publicly provided. This is a given, but it should not be done in a way that risks doing harm to public programs that millions of Michiganders rely on, such as schools, access to health care and putting food on our table.

Policymakers in Lansing all seem to agree that our roads are a priority. Both in her “Road Ahead Address” and her State of the State Address, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer vowed to see her “fix the damn roads” promise to its end. Last month, the Michigan House of Representatives passed a road funding package to fund the fiscal cliff the state is facing, totaling more than $3 billion. The road funding package received bipartisan support, but will likely face revisions in this divided government, all a part of tense budget negotiations that will define the year ahead.

The problem with this road funding package is not its end goal, but its method. It is full of uncertainty and tepid promises that “critical” programs will not face cuts or funding risks. Apart from a proposed tax increase on motor fuel, offsetting a reduction in the sales tax and a tax hike to pressure corporations to forgo subsidies under a former tax plan, proponents claim no new money is needed to fix the roads. Instead, existing state general fund dollars are shifted to roads and to fill the hole in the school aid fund and in community revenue sharing. Ultimately, the proposal passed by the House last month is estimated to reduce overall general fund revenues from 2026-2031 to the tune of about $17 billion.

However, this is like saying no new money is needed for a brand new car because I can just dip into our child’s college savings account. We have the money, but where we take it from matters a great deal. In fact, this is a worse scenario because, without a corresponding budget, we don’t know what existing programs could be impacted by this road proposal. Risking key programs to fund the road will only result in a road that goes nowhere. If investments in libraries, child care centers, food banks or local schools are cut to make room for road funding, we’re neglecting what communities need most. Roads are meant to connect us to opportunities and resources, not come at their expense.

Underlying all of this, too, is an assumption that Michigan’s method in determining road funding is accurate. A recent report from the Citizens Research Council of Michigan shows that the way Michigan goes about fixing its roads is deeply flawed and antiquated, warranting investigation into policies that improve efficiency and quality of our road systems as well as how we allocate the dollars. Additionally, our existing formula and budget continue to underfund our public transit system, leading to limited service access all across the state. Michigan lawmakers should reassess how funds are allocated, putting dollars where they matter most.

Roads connect people and allow Michiganders to take their kids to child care or school, get to the doctor’s office, go grocery shopping and enjoy all of the beauty that Michigan’s parks, lakes and forests provide. We need to know not only where this money is going, but where it is going to be taken from. We cannot risk the ends for its means — the school down the road for the road itself.