Rep. Scott Dianda

MARQUETTE — Despite a $175 million boost in road funding approved by Gov. Rick Snyder on Tuesday, Rep. Scott Dianda, D-Calumet, is standing by a Michigan House resolution expressing lack of confidence in Michigan Deparment of Transportation Director Kirk Steudle.

“We are failing,” said Dianda, a former MDOT employee. “We are not doing justice to the taxpayers, $175 million could be spent in the Upper Peninsula and it would not go very far. Our roads across the state are in peril, and the more money is not solving the problem.”

Dianda introduced the resolution calling Steudle “unfit to lead the department” on March 14.

The resolution, which has been submitted to the House Government Operations Committee, has bipartisan support, according to the Michigan Legislature website. Rep. Steve Marino, R-Harrison Township; Rep. Brian Elder, D-Bay City; Rep. Erika Geiss, D-Taylor; Rep. Jewell Jones, D-Inkster; and Rep. Terry Sabo, D-Muskegon, all sponsored the resolution.

Chairman of the Michigan State Transportation Commission Todd A. Wyett defended Steudle in an email statement on Tuesday.

“Kirk Steudle is recognized nationally for his leadership for implementing performance measures and encouraging innovation that maximizes the use of taxpayer dollars as Michigan infrastructure suffers from decades of under-investment,” Wyett said. “Not only are legislative critics misinformed to blame Director Steudle for Michigan’s crumbling roads, they are failing to recognize that it’s because of his leadership that the state network is not worse.”

Jones said he supported the bill when he was approached by Dianda because he hasn’t seen any “significant improvements in our state roads in the last few years.”

He said deteriorating roads commonly lead to large vehicle repair bills for Michigan residents due to undue wear and tear.

“People are hurting out there,” Jones said. “This is not a partisan issue at all. It’s an equity issue. Michigan needs to take a closer look at how they are spending taxpayer money.”

Wyett said the 9,700 miles of state trunklines under Steudle’s jurisdiction are facing many of the same challenges as the state’s other 110,000 miles of roads managed by 600-plus city and county road agencies.

“The American Council of Engineering Companies of Michigan put a fine point on the lack of investment in their report card grading Michigan’s infrastructure and the organization has praised Director Steudle for his leadership and MDOT for its work, despite inadequate funding,” Wyett said.

This is not the first time Dianda — who is finishing out his third term in the House and has launched a bid for the 38th District Senate seat currently held by Sen. Tom Casperson — has taken aim at Steudle.

Dianda introduced a similar resolution in October 2015 on the heels of a Repubilcan-led package of road bills that included an increase in the state gas tax, a 40 percent increase in registration fees and a $600 million shift from the state’s general fund to roads, according to a Detroit Free Press article.

More recently in January, Dianda asked the Michigan auditor general to do an investigative audit of MDOT’s procurement practices, more specifically the department’s contract for roadside assistance. The contract was granted to a Detroit towing company owned by the ex-wife of Gasper Fiore, who pleaded guilty to bribing a Macomb County official in December during an FBI investigation.

Dianda’s office released a statement Wednesday after he was informed the auditor general wouldn’t conduct an audit because of pending criminal investigations directly or indirectly related to MDOT’s procurement of roadside assistance services.

“While I understand the auditor general’s decision to not audit MDOT at this time, … it solidifies the importance of bringing in new leadership for MDOT,” Dianda said in the prepared statement.

Lisa Bowers can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 242. Her email address is lbowers@miningjournal.net.