Ordinarily, it would be best for Michigan's representatives in Washington to root for the home team in the competition for federal transportation dollars. That's especially true given the sharp economic pain being experienced around here right now.

But a well-meaning plan by U.S. Rep. Candice Miller, R Harrison Township, to temporarily waive the 20 percent local match for local federal transportation dollars goes too far.

Michigan's roads aren't a shambles primarily because of the horrible economy. The state has reached a dead end on transportation funding, and thus has little to spend fixing up the roads, because politicians, including Gov. Jennifer Granholm, have hemmed and hawed for years about raising the gas tax.

Waiving the local match to secure federal funds would just give Granholm and others in Lansing another excuse to do nothing.