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Small businesses say higher gas taxes would hurt their bottom line

Gas prices are lower this week.
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Gas prices are lower this week.

If there's one issue uniting Michigan's old and young, Republican and Democrat, it's the need to fix our crumbling roads.

Things are so bad, state legislators are even considering hiking the gas tax.

But critics say small businesses will struggle if they have to pay any more at the pump.

Charlie Owens is with the National Federation of Independent Businesses.

He says he's hearing from Michigan companies that are worried about higher gas prices right now, considering the minimum wage just went up, and the economic recovery is still fragile.

"For example, we have one company that does fire and disaster restoration, and they've got a fleet of 15, maybe 20 vehicles on the road 24/7. This (gas tax) is a direct cost to their bottom line. If you think about pizza delivery, construction, glass repair ... I mean the list goes on."

Owens says he wants the roads fixed, too – but they'd rather it happen by taking money from things like film incentives.

 
 

Kate Wells is a Peabody Award-winning journalist currently covering public health. She was a 2023 Pulitzer Prize finalist for her abortion coverage.
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