LANSING — Today, the House Appropriations Committee defeated on party lines an amendment offered by state Rep. Fred Durhal III (D-Detroit), Democratic vice chairman of the committee, which would implement $150 million of unspent General Fund money for road repairs. In response, Durhal issued the following statement:
“Today we gave our Republican colleagues the opportunity to join us in being proactive to address our state’s infrastructure crisis. Instead they voted for the status quo. To them, spending thousands a year on costly car repairs because of our crumbling roads may not be a problem, but for the majority of Michiganders this has a devastating financial impact. The people of this state deserve better. We need to seize every opportunity we can to put more money towards our roads, considering how much we know they’re currently being underfunded. Until we make infrastructure improvements a priority, families will continue to see their savings—which could be used to further their child’s education, make needed home repairs or save for a secure retirement—dwindle as they’re forced to constantly repair their damaged vehicles. We have a responsibility as legislators to remove that burden from them, and I’m disappointed my Republican colleagues voted to shirk that responsibility.”