LANSING, MI (WHTC) – It didn’t take long for the shovels to start throwing dirt over Proposal 1.
MIRS News needed only 26 minutes after the polls closed at 8 PM on Tuesday night to report that the ballot question was headed for a resounding defeat, based on “various early election results” showing support only at 20 percent. That margin showed more dissent for the nearly 1.3 billion-dollar annual road repair reform package than most polls prior to Tuesday’s election had indicated. Punsters say that a variety of factors led to the rejection, including lack of a consistent yes message despite the “Safe Roads Yes” campaign raising 9.6 million dollars.
In a statement issued shortly following the closing of last four UP district polls in the Central Time Zone an hour after the rest of the state’s ballot boxes were shut, Governor Snyder said, “While voters didn’t support this particular proposal, we know they want action taken to maintain and improve our roads and bridges. The ‘relentless’ part of relentless positive action means that we start anew to find a comprehensive, long-term solution to this problem.”
State lawmakers are now tasked with finding another solution to the road funding issue.
