Local Officials Step Up

Thank God the election season is over! Maybe now we can go back to work and make things better. Things are about to get better in a number of communities because many local elected officials had the courage and the good sense to ask their citizens for more dollars to improve their badly deteriorating roads.

Last Tuesday’s election contained 13 ballot proposals that asked voters for more dollars for needed road improvements in various communities in Livingston, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland and Wayne Counties. Ten of the 13 ballot proposals were approved by the voters. Two lost by a slim margin. What does this tell us? It says that roads are a priority. It tells us that when properly explained, elected officials can educate voters that current dollars are being spent wisely and the real problem is that there are not enough dollars being invested in fixing the problem.

I will continue to remind you that these additional dollars that will be raised are important and will improve some local roads, but the dollars are a drop in a very large bucket compared to the dollars that are needed to truly improve the overall condition of our road system. In other words – the legislature is not off the hook and they need to step up as local elected officials have and do the right thing. It is nice to hear the governor saying increased transportation funding is his top priority. Let’s stop talking about it and just do it – and quickly during this lame-duck session. View a complete list of the ballot proposal outcomes below.