LANSING, MI (MPRN)-- A long-term plan to fix Michigan’s roads might not be part of the state budget this year.
Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey (R-Clarklake) said he wants to include more money to fix the roads in the short term in the state budget. But he also wants to figure out a long-term policy – that possibly includes new revenue sources –separately from the budget.
“Our plan for budget will for certain include additional funding for roads that’ll be historical. But there’s no guarantee that it’ll be a roads solution. Maybe they’ll come together, but it’s not a requirement for me to submit a budget with that in it.”
Shirkey added, “I’m differentiating between road funding and road solution.”
Governor Gretchen Whitmer wants the budget to include a plan to keep bringing in new money for the roads over the long term. She wants to increase in the state’s fuel tax eventually by 45 cents per gallon.
Whitmer said she won’t sign a budget that only has a temporary plan for the roads or that doesn’t raise more than $2 billion. That promise could be tested in early June when Shirkey says he hopes the Legislature will have its budget ready for Whitmer to sign or veto.