Michigan is increasing taxes to fix the roads

"450X_FTW" (mistermic) 11/13/2015 at 10:09 • Filed to: None

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Gas tax goes up 3.3 cents in 2018

Diesel tax goes up 7.3 cents in 2018

Registration fees go up 40% next year!!! (for my truck and my wife’s car it’s currently about $300 a year for our tabs)

Creating a surcharge for electric vehicles (We don’t even allow Tesla to sell their cars here so I doubt that’s going to bring very much money in at all)

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Personally I favor the Pot for Potholes method that Rep. Dillon wanted, where the state would legalize and tax marijuana for the purpose of funding road repair

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MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > 450X_FTW 11/13/2015 at 10:16

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40%?!

holy shit!

I haven’t even read any of it but the pot for potholes makes sense to me. It’s hysterical how in some places in Michigan it’s legal to have pot but not legal to buy it or grow it...hmm where’d it come from then?

Weed isn’t for me, but if other people want to use it safely, sure go ahead, just tax the shit out of it.

AndyG_UK > 450X_FTW 11/13/2015 at 10:17

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Oh those registration fees sound pretty steep, while I agree that for most places the only answer to get the roads fixed is higher taxes but that seems a wee bit excessive to me!

Azrek > 450X_FTW 11/13/2015 at 10:18

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Cost me $450 to register my car in Maryland. Michigan is cheap!

450X_FTW > AndyG_UK 11/13/2015 at 10:19

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Problem is they do a crap job of maintaining them, so instead of spending money to do it right, they spend money to fix them, constantly

Urambo Tauro > 450X_FTW 11/13/2015 at 10:19

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Raising the gas tax is long overdue. A few pennies per gallon sounds appropriate.

But that registration hike... ouch.

Hopefully these funds go exactly where they belong.

Dukie - Jalopnik Emergency Management Asshole > 450X_FTW 11/13/2015 at 10:20

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Between that and MI’s bullshit no-fault insurance, looks like I’m not moving back there ever again.

450X_FTW > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 11/13/2015 at 10:20

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Yeah, seriously BS. Doesn’t mean they’ll build them right the first time, or try to use more sand instead of salt during winter, they’ll just have money to fix them more.

450X_FTW > Urambo Tauro 11/13/2015 at 10:21

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agreed

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > 450X_FTW 11/13/2015 at 10:22

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40% is a massive fucking upgrade.

My Milan is KBB at about 3700 bucks and I’m pretty sure I paid like $100 bucks for my tab this summer. (and I don’t even have the rec passport).

Damn them.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Azrek 11/13/2015 at 10:22

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Not for long apparently.

450X_FTW > Dukie - Jalopnik Emergency Management Asshole 11/13/2015 at 10:23

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Stay far away, it’s not getting much better

450X_FTW > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 11/13/2015 at 10:23

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Yeah not looking forward to it.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > 450X_FTW 11/13/2015 at 10:23

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My problem is these bullshit concrete highways. The plow blades hook the edge and boom that sections toast. Oh well dump some asphalt that doesn’t stick to concrete in there - that’ll fix it for a while?

Asphalt patch is gone and a hole is back in 3 days.

They’re all idiots.

AndyG_UK > 450X_FTW 11/13/2015 at 10:24

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Same here in the UK, they just keep doing crappy patches on roads where the surface is worn out, next year the same holes are back but even bigger, they eventually get round to filling them and then on and on, surely at some point it must just be cheaper in the long run to re-surface them properly and be done with it.

Dukie - Jalopnik Emergency Management Asshole > 450X_FTW 11/13/2015 at 10:24

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I’ve got to come back to visit family now and again, but it sure isn’t like when I was growing up.

Also, I’m nostalgiaing and looking at old pics and stuff from Bob-Lo Island.

450X_FTW > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 11/13/2015 at 10:26

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They also lack common knowledge of physics. Dump salt to make snow melt, which creates water, water gets into the expansion cracks of the road, freezes and breaks up the concrete. They cannot understand this at all

AndyG_UK > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 11/13/2015 at 10:26

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I don’t understand why your license plates cost is based on the value of your cars, I know our road license isn’t basing it on emissions (even if they are the wrong emissions) makes more sense to me, the bigger and dirtier your car, the more you pay.

Mattbob > 450X_FTW 11/13/2015 at 10:28

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“Registration fees go up 40% next year!!! (for my truck and my wife’s car it’s currently about $300 a year for our tabs)“

Fuuuuuuuuuck.

Mattbob > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 11/13/2015 at 10:30

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When it is done well, concrete sections can last waaaay longer than asphalt. But we tend to fuck it up then just cover it with asphalt... Have you noticed how they are doing most of the repairs lately? They just grind down the first inch or two and re-cover in asphalt. So all the potholes come back in exactly the same spots a year later. Fucking Michigan roads.

Future next gen S2000 owner > 450X_FTW 11/13/2015 at 10:31

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It is only a matter of time until Michigan legalizes weed. Colorado is pulling in a metric fuckton of taxes. We have a particular law that says if they collect more taxes than anticipated, they have to give that money back. We had something like 50 million of extra taxes collected from weed alone. I wanted that money back but apparently people thought of the children and it went to schools instead.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > 450X_FTW 11/13/2015 at 10:31

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You know what doesn’t have expansion gaps?

asphalt.

450X_FTW > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 11/13/2015 at 10:32

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Truth, but it deforms easily from heavier vehicles

450X_FTW > Future next gen S2000 owner 11/13/2015 at 10:33

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IT’S SO SIMPLE!! Sadly Gov. Rick Snyder is against legalized mairjuana, so until he’s out office, it’s not happening

vondon302 > 450X_FTW 11/13/2015 at 10:34

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Do other states have a functioning local government or are we just unlucky in Michigan. Between this the lead in the water fiasco in flint and the bleeding open wound that is the Detroit school system I gotta wonder.

450X_FTW > vondon302 11/13/2015 at 10:35

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Flint water makes me glad I’m on a well system.

Future next gen S2000 owner > 450X_FTW 11/13/2015 at 10:36

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You should just move to Colorado like the rest of us from Michigan.

MarquetteLa > Future next gen S2000 owner 11/13/2015 at 10:36

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You would have gotten a grand total of about $8 if that $50M was refunded to CO taxpayers. Let the schools have it.

vondon302 > 450X_FTW 11/13/2015 at 10:37

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Same here!

450X_FTW > Future next gen S2000 owner 11/13/2015 at 10:38

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Trust me, I would, but my wife’s family is here and she’s too attached to them.

Urambo Tauro > 450X_FTW 11/13/2015 at 10:41

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I think it’s 100% appropriate for transportation-related revenue (gas tax, registration) to go directly back into transportation-related projects. I like that part. But this plan also includes shifting a lot of money from the general fund into roads.

While having nicer roads is something I dream about, I’m not sure the general fund is the right place to get money from. I mean, a general fund is supposed to be flexible, so I guess it’s okay, but it shouldn’t be a permanent solution.

The gas tax is supposed to adjust for inflation after a few years, but is that enough? Now I hate having to pay more for ANYTHING, but maybe the tax needs a few more pennies per gallon?

jariten1781 > AndyG_UK 11/13/2015 at 10:47

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Standard progressive tax. Rich pay more since they buy more and more valuable vehicles.

CO2 tax wouldn’t go over well here for a couple reasons: 1. Some folks don’t buy into it being a pollutant; 2. It’s regressive, rich people can afford the cars with the newest emissions equipment (or electric) while poor folks are stuck with older more polluting vehicles. Regressive taxes are very hard to get passed.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Mattbob 11/13/2015 at 10:47

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I’d rather them have to repave asphalt more frequently then do a shit job on concrete which is terrible to drive on. First time I drove in Michigan we almost stopped our rental car - we thought we had a flat tire because of how terrible the concrete gaps are.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > 450X_FTW 11/13/2015 at 10:48

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Restrict truck weights like other states too.

More trucker jobs - win win!

Übel > 450X_FTW 11/13/2015 at 10:52

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Flint makes me glad I’m nowhere near Flint

duurtlang > jariten1781 11/13/2015 at 10:58

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It’s not entirely regressive. Small cheap cars are taxed less than heavy/high hp cars. That part is a progressive tax. Age has a smaller impact on fuel economy than heft.

DrJohannVegas > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 11/13/2015 at 10:59

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I got nothing to add, but it’s good to see others as fucking tired of the roads bullshit here as I am.

jariten1781 > duurtlang 11/13/2015 at 11:06

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Oh, I agree. That’s not the only argument that would come out on the floor though. They wouldn’t be comparing the rich in an Escalade to the middle class in a Versa...they’d be comparing the rich in a Tesla to the poor landscaper in a 20 year old F150.

It’s all pretty much a wash anyway. They’re going to get the money. I personally would prefer a miles driven/weight weighted table that you’d settle when renewing registration. That’s more directly correlated to road repairs needed.

StndIbnz, Drives a MSRT8 > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 11/13/2015 at 11:17

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Only its now bigger than it was before....

StndIbnz, Drives a MSRT8 > 450X_FTW 11/13/2015 at 11:18

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I’m glad they are finally doing SOMETHING. Our roads are fucking terrible, and they don’t last for shit. Guess we will see how this all works out, but we need a big push to fix our infrastructure.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > 450X_FTW 11/13/2015 at 11:20

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Those registration fees probably sound a little steep in the US, but the vehicle tax for older cars (pre-2002 I think*) that are over 1.5l is £225 ($342) each.

That means for me to tax the two cars I keep on the road it’s £450 ($682).

Worst thing is our roads are still pretty pants...

*Newer cars is based on emissions, but it’s in the same ballpark for most cars that don’t have teeny-tiny engines

duurtlang > jariten1781 11/13/2015 at 11:22

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Honestly, I’d get rid of registration taxation altogether (excluding a €10 charge for actual registration costs) and throw it all on fuel. Much cheaper to do from a bureaucratic point of view and fairer as well. The more you emit and drive, the more you pay. You only need to fix the electric car tax loophole then.

450X_FTW > StndIbnz, Drives a MSRT8 11/13/2015 at 11:23

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I doubt they’ll get any better. Sure they’ll fix more, but they are still going to have horrible quality. They need to focus on building them right and with better quality the first time

Justin Hughes > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner 11/13/2015 at 11:32

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I have it from a friend who used to work for Maine DOT that under 50*F, asphalt doesn’t stick or cure properly. But they have to look like they’re doing something about it to keep the taxpayers happy. He freely admits to them having done many patches for the sake of cosmetics, knowing that they weren’t going to last because of the low temperature or other factors.

jariten1781 > duurtlang 11/13/2015 at 11:34

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Yeah, I’m alright with gas tax (it’s what we mostly have around here). There are other issues with it (other than electric cars). Cars are consistently becoming more efficient. To have the gas tax stay self-sufficient you have to align it to inflation and fleet economy. That means it’ll be going up faster than inflation which nobody likes and never gets passed. Places that I'm familiar with that have the gas tax tend to set it and update it in decade long spans...that leads it to be sufficient for the first couple years after the increase then woefully fall behind 5 years in requiring the raiding of the general fund or deferment of maintenance. Hence why I prefer the miles driven/weight adjusted model.

Johnnyazz > 450X_FTW 11/13/2015 at 11:42

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pure michigan

Santiago of Escuderia Boricua > vondon302 11/13/2015 at 11:53

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We are literally the worst

http://www.publicintegrity.org/2015/11/09/184…

vondon302 > Future next gen S2000 owner 11/13/2015 at 12:02

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If my job ever goes down I’m so outa here. Sadly I’m the last one left in Michigan out of my family. Colorado is high (ha ha) on my places to move to.

StndIbnz, Drives a MSRT8 > 450X_FTW 11/13/2015 at 12:32

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I agree. And put at damn weight limit on the trucks in this state!

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Justin Hughes 11/13/2015 at 13:08

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Oh of course it doesn’t.

Man they piss me off.

BloodlessWeevil > 450X_FTW 11/13/2015 at 15:13

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No, it does not. What you see is the foundation buckling because they never bothered to actually make one. Instead they tear it up and resurface it every few years without doing anything about the actual problem.

bubblestheturtle > 450X_FTW 11/13/2015 at 22:57

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As long as the money collected actually goes to roads. In Texas they tell us the money will go to wherever and then change it in the next session to go to the General Fund, where they can do what they want based on the political winds at the moment.

450X_FTW > bubblestheturtle 11/14/2015 at 07:31

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That “general fund” gets a lot of inflow to it

gmporschenut also a fan of hondas > 450X_FTW 11/15/2015 at 09:23

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Though the registration does seem high I wish the gas tax was raised in my area. Too many put off projects that have been discussed for years and the inevitable “put off for two more years” (until my term is up).