By Doug Cunningham
Michigan Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Rich Studley wants lawmakers and the Governor to embrace the shared responsibility of fixing Michigan’s roads.
“We need less talk and more action,” Studley tells WSJM News. “We agree that this is a multi-billion dollar problem that needs a multi-billion dollar solution.”
The Michigan Chamber of Commerce says it will support lawmakers and the governor as they reach a bipartisan solution that really fixes Michigan roads. Studley says Michigan can’t afford to wait to actually find the money to properly fix the roads.
“All of our key industries depend on a strong transportation infrastructure and too many of our roads and bridges in Michigan are literally crumbling. And so we believe that this is an issue that the governor and legislative leaders can, should and must address in the next few weeks.”
Studley and the Michigan Chamber were joined for a Tuesday morning press conference in Lansing calling for action by leaders from the Grand Rapids Chamber, Detroit Regional Chamber, Business Leaders for Michigan, and the Michigan Road Preservation Association.
Both Governor Whitmer and former Governor Rick Snyder understood that Michigan will need approximately $2.5 billion in additional road funding a year for many years to come. So far, though, the state legislature has been all talk and not nearly enough revenue raising action to provide the critically needed fix for Michigan roads.
