Drivers dodge potholes on Morrell Street in Jackson on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2018. Many Jackson area roads have potholes appearing. (J. Scott Park | MLive.com)
As the election draws closer candidates for governor are staking out positions on how to fix Michigan's crumbling roads.
MLive took a closer look at what's behind each candidate's plan.
The Democratic nominee for Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer holds up a poster give to her my the Bonds family at her election night party Tuesday at MotorCity Casino's Sound Board in Detroit after winning the Democratic Party primary, Aug. 7, 2018. (Tanya Moutzalias | MLive.com)
Whitmer's plan
Democratic candidate for governor Gretchen Whitmer's plan is to get $2 billion of state funding into the infrastructure bank straight away. The bank would be able to issue low-interest loans, among other things, to help fund projects across the state.
It's how to get the money into that fund that might rile some. She wants to pursue increasing user fees, and doesn't rule out hiking the gas tax as part of that. If the legislature won't go that route she plans to seek bonds for the $2 billion.
She expects the money the state invests to draw down another $1 billion in federal funding.
The $3 billion in the fund will be for infrastructure more broadly, but she's been clear in saying that roads will be a big part of that spend.
Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette announces a gubernatorial bid at his annual Midland BBQ at the Midland Fairgrounds on Sept. 12, 2017. (Jacob Hamilton | MLive.com)
Schuette's plan
Republican candidate for governor Bill Schuette is calling for a complete review of how the Michigan Department of Transportation allocates funding, getting guarantees and warranties on road construction, making roads a priority within the existing budget and seek additional road funding from the federal government.
He also says he'll put $250 million the state will save from repealing prevailing wage into the roads, but that number is based off a study that indicates the state won't see nearly that much money in its coffers.
Libertarian candidate for governor Bill Gelineau. (Candidate courtesy photo)
Waiting on one more
A plan is forthcoming from the final major party candidate, Libertarian Bill Gelineau. But he outlined the basics of his plan in an interview: he wants to take out bonds and pay for them with targeted reductions, mainly from reducing the prison population and de-funding specific program within the Michigan Strategic Fund, he said.
His full plan is scheduled to come out in two weeks.
In looking at the plans collectively, here are some takeaways:
Potholes and crumbling cement pictured on Michigan Street on Monday, March 27, 2017. The road was slated for reconstruction. (Neil Blake | MLive.com)
1) All candidates are looking to address the problem.
Each candidate for governor acknowledges Michigan's roads are a problem.
"Michigan can't be a first-place economic power if our roads are coming in last or third place. I mean that just won't work," Schuette said.
Gelineau is looking for efficiencies to make sure roads and bridges are fixed, not just patched over.
"I understand the pressures that many of the legislators have to deal with, and we've gone to this sort of patchwork approach... we're only doing things in a crisis and patching things, and that's really expensive," Gelineau said.
Whitmer points to how much roads cost people as-is.
"We are all paying. We're paying a road tax every time we fix our windshields or replace our tires. And we're paying the worst kind of tax, because it's not actually fixing the problem," Whitmer said.
Drivers dodge potholes on McDevitt Avenue in Summit Township on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2018. Many Jackson area roads have potholes appearing. (J. Scott Park | MLive.com)
2) There's not a consensus on funding levels.
The closest thing to an official number comes from current Gov. Rick Snyder's 21st Century Infrastructure commission, which found in a
the state would need to invest an additional $2.2 billion per year to get 95 percent of interstates, 85 percent of state highways and 85 percent of local roads in good or fair condition.
But candidates aren't necessarily all striving for that dollar amount.
Whitmer wants $3 billion for the infrastructure bank she plans on creating, $2 billion from the state and $1 billion from federal sources. But that's for funding all infrastructure, and it's not clear what percentage would go toward roads.
Schuette's plan relies partially on new money from the federal government, but he won't name a target number of dollars he is hoping to get.
Gelineau said given low interest rates there would be nothing wrong with issuing $3 or $3.5 billion in bonds, but a specific number will be forthcoming when he unrolls his policy next month.
Potholes and crumbling cement pictured on Michigan Street on Monday, March 27, 2017. The road was slated for reconstruction. (Neil Blake | MLive.com)
3) New taxes are a hard no for Schuette.
In a June primary debate, all four Republican candidates for governor outlined plans for helping address Michigan road repairs without raising taxes.
In the general election Schuette is sticking to that plan and criticizes Whitmer for entertaining the idea.
"Raising taxes is what the Democrats, that is what they first want to do. This infrastructure bank simply, the only way it can be filled is with billions and billions of taxes. And that's their plan," Schuette said.
Whitmer, meanwhile, leaves the door open for raising things like the fuel tax.
A water-filled pothole reflects the FirstMerit and Eddy Place buildings on East Genesee in downtown Saginaw. (MLive.com files)
4) Whitmer's plan relies on others.
In order to raise user fees, her first choice to generate more money for roads, Whitmer would need cooperation from the state legislature. In the event they do not cooperate, she will need help from voters.
"If the legislature is not strong enough to take those votes and to work with me to get it passed, then I will work with stakeholders to go to the ballot and pass the bond," she said.
In a photo from Thursday, April 23, 2015, a pothole is patched on Michigan Ave., in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
5) Schuette's plan assumes savings that may not exist.
The only number in Schuette's road funding plan is $250 million, savings he says will materialize from the state's recent repeal of prevailing wage. But that number is based off a 2007 study that specifically states the bulk of the savings -- $126 million -- would go to local school districts and not the state, meaning it wouldn't be available for the state to spend on roads.
The Michigan State Capitol, pictured on Saturday, Jan. 27, 2018 in Lansing. (Jake May | MLive.com)
6) Any road funding plan will be a hard lift, politically.
Whitmer's plan includes a plan B, bonding, a sign she's expecting passage to be hard work. She was in the legislature during failed road funding attempts.
"It was very frustrating, as a legislator, to work to put together a real plan that actually would have solved the problem. I worked with my Republican counterpart Senator Richardville at the time and with the governor's office, frankly, and I took a lot of tough votes to actually solve this problem. And as you recall the House of Representatives wouldn't even put the measure up on the board for a vote, and it failed," Whitmer said.
The 2015 plan came after years of political maneuvering and compromise, and that was with a Republican governor and two Republican-led chambers. It's possible mulitple parties control the governor's office and legislative chambers come 2019, something that would deepen the political calculus of any plan.
Pat Granger, a worker with the City of Jackson's Department of Public Works, patches potholes along Michigan Avenue between West Avenue and Fourth Street on Wednesday morning, Feb. 19, 2014. (J. Scott Park | Mlive.com)
7) A new plan could form before the old one is implemented.
The 2015 road plan the legislature passed was long-term and isn't fully implemented until 2021, when it puts $1.2 billion into Michigan's roads.
But even the current administration has worked to speed that up through one-time
.
A new governor will take over Jan. 1, 2019 and could pursue a new plan before the old one is fully implemented.
Note: This story was edited to reflect the road plan raised $1.2 billion.
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