MACKINAC ISLAND, MI-- Michigan Governor Rick Snyder says he's hopeful that a bipartisan deal to
raise the minimum wage will pave the way for the Legislature to boost road spending by at least $1.2 billion.
The Republican governor signed the bill late Tuesday before leaving for the Mackinac Policy Conference on Mackinac Island. He told The Associated Press Wednesday that drivers expressing their frustration with poor roads were a "great catalyst" for legislators to consider competing transportation plans.
One that hasn't been voted on yet would more than double Michigan's gasoline tax.
Snyder says his most immediate priority in coming weeks is for lawmakers to commit $195 million in state money to help resolve Detroit's bankruptcy case. The House approved the legislation last week and now it's in the Senate.