{"id":2311,"date":"2025-02-12T18:42:05","date_gmt":"2025-02-12T18:42:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/grandrapidspost.com\/?p=2311"},"modified":"2025-02-12T06:12:24","modified_gmt":"2025-02-12T06:12:24","slug":"business-leaders-push-back-against-gov-whitmers-3-billion-road-repair-proposal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/grandrapidspost.com\/index.php\/2025\/02\/12\/business-leaders-push-back-against-gov-whitmers-3-billion-road-repair-proposal\/","title":{"rendered":"Business Leaders Push Back Against Gov. Whitmer\u2019s $3 Billion Road Repair Proposal"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Grand Rapids, Mich. \u2014 Business leaders across Michigan are expressing concerns over Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s new proposal to address the state’s aging roads and infrastructure. Announced this week, the $3 billion plan is designed to replace the road bonding initiative approved in 2020, which is set to expire soon.<\/p>\n

The proposed funding model would rely on new taxes levied on corporations and wholesale marijuana sales, alongside a promise that every cent collected from the state\u2019s gas tax would be dedicated to transportation infrastructure. According to the governor\u2019s office, this could generate as much as $1.2 billion for road repairs. Additionally, $1 billion is earmarked to support local communities in fixing their roads.<\/p>\n

Since taking office, Whitmer has made road repairs a focal point of her administration, with the state spending billions of dollars to improve infrastructure. However, Muskegon resident and truck driver Adam Hartman, who drives across Michigan daily, remains unimpressed with the visible progress.<\/p>\n

\u201cHonestly, I\u2019d say the roads feel about the same,\u201d Hartman remarked. \u201cIt seems like they\u2019ve repaved the same highways every few years, but a lot of back roads are still in rough shape.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hartman highlighted his experience driving through Muskegon Heights, where he claims large potholes\u2014some up to four feet wide\u2014remain a persistent issue. \u201cIt feels like certain areas get more attention, where there\u2019s money. Other areas, like Muskegon Heights, are just left behind,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Whitmer\u2019s office contends that under her leadership, over 23,000 lane miles of roads and 1,600 bridges have been repaired. Despite these claims, the administration\u2019s new proposal has raised questions about funding and its impact on businesses and consumers.<\/p>\n

The marijuana wholesale tax is one of the more controversial elements of the plan. While the exact rate is yet to be determined, Whitmer\u2019s office estimates the new tax will generate $470 million for road repairs.<\/p>\n

Casey Kornoelje, the owner of Pharmhouse Wellness, a Grand Rapids dispensary, voiced concerns over the added burden on small businesses. He acknowledged that large, corporate dispensaries may absorb the tax, but for smaller operations like his, it could be devastating. \u201cCannabis is already one of the most heavily taxed industries in the country,\u201d Kornoelje said. \u201cAnother tax doesn\u2019t seem like the right solution.\u201d<\/p>\n

The plan also includes a proposal for corporations to contribute an estimated $1.6 billion for road repairs. However, the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce is worried that the tax burden on businesses\u2014particularly small ones\u2014could have unintended consequences.<\/p>\n

Joshua Lunger, vice president of government affairs for the Chamber, expressed concern that raising corporate taxes could lead to higher costs for consumers, especially since 90% of businesses that pay Michigan\u2019s corporate income tax employ fewer than 100 people.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile we agree that fixing the roads is essential, the potential impact on businesses and consumers is a significant concern,\u201d Lunger said.<\/p>\n

In defense of the corporate tax proposals, Whitmer\u2019s office emphasized that the new taxes would target large corporations and tech giants like Amazon, X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and TikTok. These companies, the governor\u2019s office argues, profit from Michigan\u2019s infrastructure and contribute to road wear and tear through heavy trucking operations that damage roads and bridges.<\/p>\n

\u201cMichigan\u2019s laws haven\u2019t been updated to reflect the growing influence of Big Tech industries, which use our infrastructure without bearing the full costs of maintaining it,\u201d Whitmer\u2019s office stated in a release.<\/p>\n

As the debate continues, Michigan\u2019s road repair plan remains a focal point of state politics, with both business leaders and residents closely watching how it will unfold.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Grand Rapids, Mich. \u2014 Business leaders across Michigan are expressing concerns over Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s new proposal to address the state’s aging roads and infrastructure. Announced this week, the $3 billion plan is designed to replace the road bonding initiative approved in 2020, which is set to expire soon. The proposed funding model would rely […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2316,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-2311","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-state-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/grandrapidspost.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2311","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/grandrapidspost.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/grandrapidspost.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandrapidspost.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandrapidspost.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2311"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/grandrapidspost.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2311\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2320,"href":"https:\/\/grandrapidspost.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2311\/revisions\/2320"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandrapidspost.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2316"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/grandrapidspost.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2311"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandrapidspost.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2311"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandrapidspost.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2311"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}