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Understanding Road Concerns in
Macomb's District 15
A large number of complaints come to my office
regarding road maintenance issues. However, road maintenance is the
responsibility of the Road Commission and not the Board of Commissioners. The
Road Commission is comprised of three individuals who are responsible for the
management and administration of tax dollars for road maintenance and
improvements, which is
primarily derived from gas taxes, license and fees.
Here are answers to some of the most common
questions regarding road maintenance.
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| How do I pay for
road maintenance and improvements? |
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You pay 37.3 cents per gallon (along with about
10 cents sales tax) in taxes for road maintenance:
- Michigan -- 19 cents (increased from 2 cents in
1981 to the 19 cents we pay in 2006)
- Federal -- 18.3 cents
License fees, both state and federal, also
provide fund for roads.
Your township receives no funds for roads,
nor does the County Board of Commissioners. The Road Commission receives road
funds (your road tax dollars) and is responsible for township roads. The Road
Commission is an agency independent of both township and County Board of
Commission control.
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| How are my state
and federal road (tax) dollars distributed? |
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- 40% to the Road Commission
- 40% to Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT)
- 20% to cities and villages
- Zero to townships – (Road Commission
responsibility)
Because we are not in close proximity to a state
highway, we receive little benefit from MDOT funds (40% of your tax dollar). Our
cities and villages are restricted to the use of their share within their own
municipalities (20% of your tax dollar). This leaves the Road Commission with
the responsibility to address the needs of township taxpayers. (40% of you tax
dollar).
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| Who is
responsible for my roads? |
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- City or village roads – Your city/village
elected officials
- State Highway (M-19/M-59) – Michigan Department
of Transportation
- Townships – Road Commission of Macomb County
The Road Commission in our county defines road
maintenance (gravel, ditching and shoulder work, etc.) often as road
improvements, thus requiring townships to assess higher property taxes to
maintain roads. The Road Commission excludes small townships from receiving any
road improvement funds (your gas tax money) based on their formula that requires
a 60% match. Smaller townships that do not have the ability to match are
continually short-changed on road improvement projects.
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| What is the
problem with the Road Commission formula? |
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- General Law townships (Armada, Macomb, Ray and
Richmond) have no means to come up with the 60% and thus lose the 40% that could
be available annually.
- The inability to improve township roads around
our cities and villages (Richmond, Memphis and Armada) has put an additional
stain (financial impact) on these communities.
- The 40% that our townships can not leverage
returns to the Road Commission and is used for projects outside of District 15.
Over 300 people attended several town hall
meetings I hosted to address the decline of maintenance on roads. While this
outcry from citizens resulted in some short term relief, the Road Commission
rejected any recommendations to change any policies and procedures as urged by
elected officials and they citizens they serve.
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| What
recommendations did the Road Commission reject? |
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- A request to evaluate and develop a plan for
gravel road maintenance;
- A request for an adjustment in the Road
Commission formula that would provide a minimal amount of the funding for
townships that have no ability to generate matching funds;
- A request that Road Commission meetings be held
in local community locations several times a year to get feedback from those
they serve.
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| How do I contact
the Road Commission regarding maintenance concerns? |
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Without a Road Commission
maintenance plan or schedule, it is impossible for me or your township officials
to provide any information on the status of maintenance questions or concerns.
To help expedite your maintenance concerns, I recommend contacting the Road
Commission directly. Attention to road maintenance concerns in Macomb County
appears to be generated from road complaints and persistence.
For maintenance concerns (lack of
snow plowing, impassible road in the spring, dust problems in the summer, public
safety concerns, need for ditching or gravel, speed limit concern, etc.):
- Call the Road Commission at 1-800-462-1474;
- Ask for the service request number (for future
reference);
- Request to be informed of results of findings
(if request for ditching, etc).
Should you not receive satisfaction, you should
call 586-463-8671 to:
- Speak with a Road Commissioner; specifically,
Chairperson Fran Gillett, Vice Chairperson Bob Sawicki or Member Tom Raymus;
- Visit the Road Commission office (or send
letter) -- RCMC, 117 South Groesbeck, Mt.Clemens 48043
If still not satisfied, call your State
Representative and State Senator. Please be sure to call or email me regarding
your issue. Make notes of dates, contact names, etc. for future reference.
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| Be
Persistent! Complaints Generate Results! |
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I hope this information provides better
understanding of road funding and maintenance responsibilities. I encourage you
to contact the Road Commission regarding the need to develop a road maintenance
plan and make adjustments to their funding formula that unfairly excludes
smaller townships in Macomb County. Also, take a minute to contact your State
Representative and State Senator to ask them to modify the Michigan
Transportation Fund formula to require the Road Commission to include a minimal
level of funding and a minimal return of your gas tax dollars.
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