Local road and infrastructure funding
Aging roads, drains, bridges, and capital facilities require investment. A November 2026 local roads and streets millage (up to 1.5 mills for 10 years) was proposed to fund paved/gravel roads, dust control, drainage, culverts, and city/village streets via the Road Commission and municipalities, replacing an expiring program. Capital improvement planning continues alongside the newly balanced budget.
Should Eaton County increase funding for local roads, drains, and capital infrastructure?
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Sources
Eaton County — https://www.eatoncounty.org/Archive/ViewFile/Item/1745
Local roads and streets preservation/improvement millage (up to 1.5 mills for 10 years, 2026–2035; estimated ~$7.8M first year) for paved/gravel local roads, dust control, drainage, culverts/bridges
WKAR — https://www.wkar.org/election-2026/2026-10-03/election-2026-your-mid-michigan-voter-guide-for-november-county-by-county
Local roads and streets preservation/improvement millage ... This replaces an expiring prior local road millage program.
Lansing State Journal — https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/news/local/2025/09/12/eaton-county-budget-cuts-4h-police-animal-control/86074128007/
Aging facilities, technology, drains, and roads require investment. The budget process includes capital improvement plans.
Positions on this issue · liberal → conservative
- Pass large millages and bonds to aggressively expand and modernize all roads and facilities
- Approve the proposed roads millage and prioritize capital plans to fix aging infrastructure
- Fund essential road maintenance and drainage within the balanced budget without major new taxes
- Limit road spending to existing revenues and let townships/cities handle more of their own costs
- Reject road millages and cut capital spending to keep property taxes as low as possible