Michigan’s roads are crumbling—and yes, they need to be fixed. But raising taxes again isn’t the answer.

Lawmakers in Lansing just agreed on a deal that includes a brand-new 26% wholesale tax on marijuana and plans to shuffle hundreds of millions in gas and income tax revenue around. Supporters are calling it a compromise. But to many of us, it feels like another example of government spending more while asking us to foot the bill—directly or indirectly.

This wasn’t the deal taxpayers were promised. House Republicans had originally proposed a $3.4 billion roads plan without raising taxes. They said they’d cut wasteful spending, reallocate existing funds, and reduce government bloat. But when the pressure hit, they gave in to new taxes.

We’re not against better infrastructure—we’re against lazy budgeting. Michigan families are already dealing with inflation, rising energy costs, and uncertainty in every direction. Now Lansing wants to layer on new taxes to cover decades of mismanagement?

We believe there’s a better way. One that doesn’t punish legal industries. One that doesn’t shuffle dollars away from schools. One that puts taxpayers first.

We call on House Speaker Matt Hall, Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks, and Governor Gretchen Whitmer to reject tax hikes and return to the original promise: fix Michigan’s roads by cutting waste—not raising taxes.

The people of Michigan are watching—and we won’t accept backroom deals and broken promises. Sign this petition to demand real fiscal leadership now.

Photo: Garret Ellison | MLive