Politics

Surprise, Surprise: Voters Sink Prop 1

May 05, 2015, 9:07 PM by  Allan Lengel

Featured_url_16809

As expected, Proposal 1, which was supposed to raise sales tax from 6 to 7 percent, and make our crummy roads all better, went down in sound defeat Tuesday, Detroit media outlets reported.

The Detroit Free Press was one of the media outlets to project defeat, reporting that in some parts of the state the Nos were winning 4-1.

Proposal 1, likely one of the most complicated and confusing questions ever placed on a Michigan ballot, was soundly rejected Tuesday, the Free Press projects, as many voters expressed anger at lawmakers and state government for failing to come up with a better solution to the sorry state of the roads.

Gov. Rick Snyder and lawmakers were criticized for failing to address the road problem in Lansing, and instead punted and let the voters decide. 

What now?

The roads still stink and no obvious Plan B is in place.

Sadly, at 10:53 p.m., after the polls were closed and after the proposal had gone down in defeat, Fox Sports played a commercial with former Sen. Carl Levin urging viewers to vote for Proposal 1. The commercial ran right after the Tigers lost to the White Sox 5-2.

Comments on Facebook included this from Lon Johnson, chairman of the Michigan Democratic Party:

This ballot proposal failed because working Michigan families said enough. Raising taxes on working families while corporations see their taxes cut is no way to build a Michigan where we can stay and succeed. Moving forward, this legislature and governor should recognize and reflect the voters' rejection tonight of one-sided sacrifices from our working families. It's time for corporations to pay their fair share. 

Steve Neavling of Motor City Muckraker posted:

The $10M that was wasted on today's special election to raise the sales tax could have paid to help address the untested rape kits and place serial rapists in prison.

Gov. Snyder issued a statement that was posted on WXYZ's website:

“It’s essential that making Michigan’s infrastructure safer remains a top priority. While voters didn’t support this particular proposal, we know they want action taken to maintain and improve our roads and bridges. The ‘relentless’ part of relentless positive action means that we start anew to find a comprehensive, long-term solution to this problem. Doing nothing isn’t an option as the costs are too great. Michiganders need to be able to get behind the wheel and not worry about dodging potholes or seeing plywood to catch crumbling concrete under overpasses. We appreciate that this bipartisan plan was supported by so many groups – business leaders and unions, public safety officials and local governments, teachers, and the list goes on. I plan to work with my partners in the Legislature on a solution that gives Michigan residents the safe roads they need and deserve and bolsters our growing economy.”

 

 


Read more:  Detroit Free Press


Leave a Comment:

Photo Of The Day