This isn’t just a harmless “oops,” it’s an example of how irresponsible partisan posturing by Rep. Jim DeSana and his Michigan DOGE colleagues are actively harming Downriver.
DeSana’s vote had real and immediate consequences for Taylor and all Downriver communities. Another glaring embarrassment to us by our very own representative.
By supporting the rollback of roughly $645 million in state work-project funding, DeSana backed a decision that directly stripped our region of critical investments, including $5 million for City of Taylor lead service line replacement and $100,000 for the Taylor Historical Society, in addition to the now well publicized embarrassing cut to the DeSana Center and others.
I want to be clear about what this means on the ground:
* Lead pipe replacement isn’t a luxury. It’s a public health necessity. Cutting $5 million delays the removal of toxic infrastructure that disproportionately affects children, seniors, and working families. That decision puts Taylor resident health at risk and increases long-term costs for cities and taxpayers.
* The Taylor Historical Society funding wasn’t “pork” as Rep. DeSana made it seem. It was a modest investment to preserve local history. Losing $100,000 may sound small to him, but locally to the community he rarely shows up to, it determines whether projects are funded or not.
Downriver communities were given no warning, no hearing, and no opportunity to weigh in before these funds were wiped out.
The most troubling part isn’t the irony of Rep. DeSana cutting funding tied to a building named after his father, it’s that this vote shows how disconnected he is from communities he is supposed to represent like Taylor.
He cannot claim to stand for fiscal responsibility while blindly cutting projects that protect public health, preserve community institutions, and were already approved through bipartisan processes. That’s not reform, it’s pure recklessness.
It begs the question, if DeSana won’t take the time to understand what he’s cutting, who is actually looking out for Taylor in the State House?
Alex Garza is a Wayne County commissioner representing District 14, which includes Taylor, Brownstown Township, Woodhaven, Gibraltar, and Rockwood.
