As the current term draws to a close, state Rep. Greg Alexander is urging the Legislature to prioritize issues that truly matter to the people of Michigan – starting with fixing the state’s crumbling roads and policies that work to lower costs for workers and families.

“The condition of our roads affects every Michigander, whether they’re driving to work, taking their kids to and from school, or delivering goods to market,” said Alexander, of Carsonville. “Instead of addressing this critical issue, Democrats are focused on a wish list of partisan priorities in the final few session days of the term that fail to reflect the concerns of everyday families we all represent.”

A recently announced roads plan would dedicate existing tax dollars and expiring corporate handouts to invest nearly $3 billion in additional funding for infrastructure each year, including long-neglected local roads, without raising taxes. The targeted investment proposal comes as general fund spending has grown by more than $4 billion since 2018 — a 40% increase — with almost none of that increase going toward Michigan’s crumbling roads and bridges. The plan would also replace the 6% sales tax on motor fuel with a corresponding revenue-neutral increase in the motor fuel tax, which exclusively supports infrastructure funding. This will yield about $945 million in additional resources while holding school funding harmless from the decrease in sales tax revenue and holding drivers harmless at the pump.

In contrast, Alexander noted several plans Democrat majorities in the House and Senate are prioritizing, including:

• Granting state IDs and driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants.
• Allowing individuals to select “X” as their gender marker on state documents instead of male or female.
• Reinstating the opt-out program for the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Passport, which was widely opposed when the idea was floated earlier this year. Switching from the current opt-in process to a confusing opt-out system will likely lead to people unknowingly having to pay for a passport while having no intention of ever using it.
• Proposing a 19-cent-per-gallon gas tax increase and considering adding toll roads, which will put more financial strain on drivers.
• Sweeping anti-Second Amendment measures that infringe on the rights of law-abiding citizens.
• Increasing the maximum number of weeks an individual could qualify for unemployment benefits from 20 to 26 weeks per year.

“It’s clear that the people of Michigan want their government to focus on improving their quality of life, not push divisive and out-of-touch agendas through during a lame-duck session after a critical election,” Alexander said. “We need to fix the roads. That is what all of us were elected to do, not ram through a progressive agenda voters have told us they do not want.”

Alexander emphasized that his constituents in the 98th District – covering Huron County and parts of Sanilac, Tuscola, and Lapeer counties – consistently express frustration over the condition of local roads and bridges. While large, state-owned highways have received attention, Alexander said he is committed to ensuring concerns about local infrastructure remain front and center in Lansing.

“The Legislature has a responsibility to deliver results on the issues that matter most, and this roads plan is a way towards that,” said Alexander. “I will continue to fight for better infrastructure, fiscal responsibility, and policies that reflect the values of the hardworking people I represent.”