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Michigan Policast for May 6, 2019
Walt, Christine, and Amy kick off the show with a conversation on pictures of potholes on social media. Christine posits that this is the most effective way to get people engaged in #FTDR, while Walt argues that people are already aware of the need, and the only problem is getting the revenues. What do you think?
- Michigan Senate panel cuts gas tax hike from transportation budget
- FY 2019-2020 Transportation Budget Senate Fiscal Agency bill analysis (pdf)
- Senate Fiscal Agency Transportation S.B.149 (pdf)
- Whitmer threatens to veto budget if gas tax increase not included **This headline is misleading. While Whitmer's office said she would veto this plan, it is because it offers no plan to fix the roads, not because it had no gas tax. Whitmer has repeatedly said she will consider any plan that includes the revenues to fix the roads.
- Reddit thread on Michigan potholes – This is a delightful rabbit hole of comments on Michigan roads.
- Fix MI Roads on YouTube
- Michigan Drivers One-Up Each Other with Photos of Damage from Bad Roads, at Governor's Request
- If Whitmer's gas tax increase is dead, sales tax on services, anyone? (Follow journalist Chad Livengood on Twitter here)
- Michigan not alone in looking at gas-tax increase for roads
“It's going to take $2.5 billion a year,” said Detroit Regional Chamber CEO Sandy Baruah of Michigan's road-building needs. “Anyone who thinks you can cut even half of that out of other elements of the state budget without having significant ramifications to real people, you're smoking something that's not legal.”
“This is 40 years of disinvestment in the state of Michigan, and it's coming due now,” Whitmer said of the roads.
In segment two this week, Amy takes us through the bipartisan car insurance issue. Gender and regional disparities, catastrophic claims, and so much more.
- Michigan women pay more for car insurance than men
- What's the Average Cost of Car Insurance in Michigan?
- Opinion | Michigan needs auto insurance reform. But don’t scrap No-Fault
- Michigan Policast coverage of the Catastrophic Claims Association (audio in the podcast and links in the post)
- Whitmer orders report on use of credit scores in Michigan auto insurance premiums (Journalist Paul Egan is on Twitter here)
- Study blames medical claims for high auto insurance rates in Michigan
- Michigan Governor Asks Why Credit Score and Education Factors in Auto Insurance
- Michigan lawmakers work to reduce state's auto insurance rates
In segment three we chat about Senator Gary Peters and his focus on climate change and green energy as an economic issue.
- Gary Peters for US Senate
- Schuette, James and 2020
- GOP sees bright future for James after close Senate race
- Poll: Peters starts re-election campaign with low name identification
- Swing-state senators become 2020 kingmakers
Our guest this week is Jeff Padden, Board Chair at Public Policy Associates and former state representative. He talks to us about the redistricting process, term limits, and so much more.
- Jeff Padden – Public Policy Associates
- Opinion: A look back at Michigan from 2027
- Jeff Padden on LinkedIn
'Term limits have been a disaster for the state, it's complete nonsense ... People believed that many many legislators serve for decades, it was just never true.' ~Jeff Padden #TermLimits #LobbyingIsAGrowthIndustryClick To Tweet '.@briancalley has been canny about finding common ground between the interests of his constituency and the intentions of @GovWhitmer' ~Jeff Padden @SBAM Click To Tweet 'If I were in the position of the Republican leadership, I would be very nervous about taking on my principal constituency, which is the business community.' ~Jeff Padden on the business community support for #FTDR // @GovWhitmer @MISenate @MiSenDems Click To Tweet
@GovWhitmer Old 27 between Waters and Frederic. How about #ftdr!? pic.twitter.com/zKv7vC4K60
— Ice Princess ??? (@kylielosh) May 3, 2019
‘Tis the season in Michigan. #springflooding #MSP #potholes pic.twitter.com/lAVbCV34Lw
— GiGi23 (@GiGiHa23) March 19, 2019