LANSING — Two weeks ago, Congress passed the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act – a monumental law that will help fix Michigan’s infrastructure with critical investments into replacing and repairing roads and bridges, replacing lead water pipes, expanding public transportation, and providing high-speed internet coverage to every corner of the state.
However, the 12 Republicans running for governor have refused to acknowledge the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Tudor Dixon dismissed the bill as “fake” months ago, and Michiganders remain in the dark about where the rest of the field stands.
In fact, none of the 12 Republicans running for governor have bothered to name any aspect of infrastructure as a top priority. Kevin Rinke couldn’t manage to name any, telling MLive in September, “I didn’t give you a priority, whatsoever.”
James Craig went out of his way to disregard the importance of infrastructure to Michigan’s economy and workforce, telling reporters during his campaign reboot that this massive job creator was not “one of my priorities.”
In contrast, Governor Whitmer recently signed a $70 billion budget that features $229M slated for road and environmental infrastructure to improve or fully replace 100 local bridges, aid local municipalities with future extreme weather preparation, and replace Benton Harbor’s lead water lines. The resources from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will supplement these improvements.
MDP spokesperson Rodericka Applewhaite issued the following statement:
“Rather than answer whether they support the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, gubernatorial Republican candidates have spent the past two weeks refusing to acknowledge the benefits it would bring to Michigan. Our working families deserve a leader they can depend on to not pick politics over a common sense policy that will help us fix our damn roads even faster, create thousands of jobs, and grow our economy – and that’s why Michiganders deserve to know if the Republican candidates support this legislation. That’s why Governor Whitmer supports it and has worked across the aisle in Lansing to deliver solutions that will keep Michigan first.”
