Michigan lawmakers debate over road funding plan
State lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are working on plans to address the funding needed to fix Michigan roads, but whether they can come to a compromise is still up for debate.
"We plan on increasing funding for our roads without raising taxes; that's our goal," said state Rep. Donni Steele (R-54th District).
As she faces her final year in office, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer wants to establish a plan for something she ran her campaign on in 2018: finding a long-term solution to fix Michigan's roads.
Right now, the Democratic leader wants $3 billion more a year to do it, with most of the money coming from imposing new taxes and fees on businesses, but some of her fellow Democrats say there may be another way.
"If we are kind of being honest with ourselves, this is going to be a multifaceted approach of really exploring all the different ideas that are on the table and finding the right mix of solutions that can get us to that number," said state Rep. Ranjeev Puri (D-24th District).
House Democratic Leader Ranjeev Puri says the focus for his party is ensuring that the cuts made are fair for everyone.
"We want to find a solution that is sustainable, that is future-proof, regardless of what kind of vehicle you're driving," said State Rep. Puri.
While members on both sides of the aisle say they want the work to get done, where they disagree is where the money is going to come from.
"To me, a user fee is a tax, and we don't have to do that because there's room in this budget to be able to fund these roads without adding taxes," said Steele.
Both Puri and Steele say the discussions are still in the early stages, with the hope of getting a decision on the table by early fall.
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