LANSING — Last Friday, Congress passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act – a monumental piece of legislation that will create good-paying jobs and help fix Michigan’s infrastructure. It provides:
- $7.3 billion for federal-aid highway apportioned programs
- $1.3 billion for crucial water infrastructure improvements
- $1 billion to diversify and improve public transportation
- $563 million for bridge replacement and repairs
- $363 million for airport infrastructure development
- $110 million over to expand a charging network for electric vehicles
- $100 million to provide broadband coverage
However, of the 12 Republicans running for governor, only one has taken a position on the legislation. Tudor Dixon dismissed the bill as “fake,” and Michiganders are in the dark about where the rest of the field stands.
None of the 12 Republicans running for governor have bothered to name infrastructure as a top priority. Kevin Rinke couldn’t manage to name any top priorities, 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 would supplement these improvements.
MDP spokesperson Rodericka Applewhaite issued the following statement:
“It’s still shocking that not a single Republican candidate out of this crowded, extremist, and messy primary, has answered whether they support the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the benefits it would bring to Michigan. It’s a common sense policy that will help us fix our damn roads even faster, create thousands of jobs, and grow our economy. That’s why Governor Whitmer supports it and has worked across the aisle in Lansing to secure resources that will keep Michigan first.”
