Here’s How Governor Candidates Gretchen Whitmer And Bill Schuette Will Fix Roads

whitmerschuette-6
whitmerschuette-6

By Doug Cunningham

“Fix the damn roads” is near the top of Michigan voter priorities, regardless of their political party affiliations. So how do the major party candidates for Governor plan to find the money to fix those roads?

Democrat Gretchen Whitmer is touring Michigan in these final days before the election in a bus emblazoned with her fix the roads slogan. During the last debate of the campaign with Republican Bill Schuette in WDIV-TV’s studios Whitmer said this is how she will pay for fixing Michigan roads.

“I create a rebuild Michigan infrastructure bank. I will write a budget in the first part of next year that actually dedicates $2 billion. It draws down a billion from the federal government. That means we get to work right away. If the legislature’s not strong enough to take those votes I will go straight to the public and pass a bond. We need real solutions. Our roads are endangering us.”

Here’s Republican Bill Schuette’s answer to how he will pay to fix the roads.

“We need to have more federal funding coming from Washington. I’ll walk right through the front door of the White House because of my relationships, call the Secretary of transportation Elaine Chou – a friend of mine — and be an advocate for more federal dollars coming to Michigan.”

According to Governor Snyder’s nonpartisan 21st Century Infrastructure Commission, Michigan needs $4 billion extra dollars a year for decades to adequately repair state roads, bridges, water and sewer systems.