I’ll tell you what should be done with surplus money

ACHTUNG: The following is not a “fair and balanced” article. It is an editorial by the editor.

One of the biggest news stories in the last week was the debate over what to do with the State of Michigan’s budget surplus.

My first reaction was astonishment that the state actually has a surplus. It so often is strapped for revenue, and by law it must have a balanced budget, unlike the federal government.

The second reaction was studious attention to the suggestions that were being bandied about. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer talked about giving everybody a one-time $180 payment to stimulate spending. She also talked about boosting the earned income tax credit for working families.

Republicans weren’t having it, of course, and instead promoted lowering taxes, which may get some traction because the state income tax may be pared from 4.25 percent to 4.05 percent. Readers should note that a little more than 35 years ago the state income tax rate was at 4.6%.

Regardless, while the different suggestions were being discussed, my wife blurted out the best advice on what to do with a budget surplus — fix the damn roads!

Indeed, that was the promise that was at the heart of Whitmer’s first campaign for governor in 2018, and it resonated with voters. She easily defeated Republican Bill Schuette.

I remember well her sitting in the driver’s seat of a vehicle in an advertisement while insisting that Michigan’s roads were among the worst in the nation and she rightly noted Republicans were in control of the House, Senate and governor’s chair from 2011 to 2019, yet they couldn’t agree on taking care of infrastructure.

Leighton Township Planning Commissioner Steve Shoemaker brought up this question up front and personal to State Rep. Kenneth Yonker, asking why the GOP couldn’t fix the roads while in power and Yonker replied that it takes time to make these things happen.

I quickly pointed out that it took only 24 hours during a lame duck session in 2012 to pass the Right to Work bill that Whitmer and the Democrats are threatening to repeal soon.

Whitmer was unable to make good on her promise because of the Covid pandemic, but now the time is right. Unless there is some kind of legal prohibition, I hereby echo my wife’s very vocal suggestion — fix the damn roads!

Whitmer could then crow, as did John Engler before her, “promises made, promises kept.” And there’s a good chance Republicans might get on board as well because they don’t want to be characterized as being against taking care of something nearly all of us use.

I certainly would enjoy a $180 check for a short time, or a slight reduction in my income taxes, but I think the residents of Michigan would be best served by something they were promised four years ago.