The candidates for governor appear to have different approaches on how they’d pay for infrastructure, with construction costs going up and gas tax revenue declining.
Republican Mike DeWine told a group of agencies that work with local communities that he’d appoint a blue ribbon task force to study how to best pay for infrastructure fixes, saying that panel would need to make recommendations quickly. And DeWine said if a tax hike is suggested, he’d be open to a candid conversation on that.
Democrat Richard Cordray has a different idea. “Blue ribbon commissions are often an excuse for not being ready to lead or not being ready to set a direction in the state.”
Cordray said he’d go to voters with what he called a “significant bond financing package” for road and bridge repairs, improving the grid and expanding broadband. But he said he doesn’t have a number in mind on how significant that package would be.
