Latest news with #PatOutman
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Republicans' $3.1B road funding plan clears the Michigan House
Sponsor on Michigan House Republicans' road funding package and Chair of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Rep Pat Outman (R-Six Lakes) speaks in support of the legislation amid concerns from Democrats on the House floor on March 19, 2025. | Photo: Anna Liz Nichols The Michigan House gave the greenlight to Republicans' $3.1 billion road funding plan Wednesday, voting it through the chamber with the support of several Democrats. But there are potholes in House Republicans' path to getting a longterm solution to road funding into law, an endeavor highly desired and long sought after in Michigan, where infrastructure has long been underfunded as the years bring their wear. Republicans are praising the plan as a means to use existing state dollars towards a roads solution, without levying new taxes, while Democrats are widely bashing the plan as a gamble that will hang vital services out to dry without the means to fund them. The plan would remove the 6% sales tax on gas and instead increase the motor fuel tax by 20 cents which would be wholly dedicated to funding road upkeep. Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer proposed her own 45-cent gas tax increase in 2019, which did not gain momentum in the GOP-led legislature at the time, leading her to successfully pursue $3.5 billion in bonds for road repairs 'I'd be embarrassed if I were her': Republicans keep slamming Whitmer's old gas tax plan But Whitmer and the Legislature are eager for a long term solution, not one-time spending, to create the budget infrastructure needed to save Michigan's crumbling infrastructure, Michigan House Speaker Matt Hall (R-Richland Township) told reporters before the vote. 'We can fix our roads without raising taxes…we're going to ensure that all of the money collected at the pump goes to roads,' Hall said. 'We're going to make a difference for the people of Michigan, something they actually see and feel in terms of fixing our roads.' In order to backfill the funding to the state's School Aid Fund that schools would lose with the elimination of the sales tax at the pump, part of the plan would dedicate $755 million from Michigan's General Fund towards schools allowing $945 million from the tax restructure to go to roads. In addition $95 million would be diverted from the General Fund annually for the cities, counties and villages that received funding from the sales tax. The bulk of the proposal, about $2.2 billion, would come from taking Corporate Income Tax revenue and using it for roads. Part of the plan is aimed at eliminating the usage of old Michigan Economic Growth Authority tax credits in order to increase the Corporate Income Tax revenue and increase funding for roads. But with the shifts in general fund dollars called for in this plan, it will be the task of the partisanly split legislature to work out how the deficit, potentially hundreds of millions of dollars, will work in the state budget. Many House Democrats articulated that they are not trusting Republican leadership's promises to keep schools harmless in the process, as well as public services and resources used by Michiganders. The plan would need to clear the Democratic-led Senate and gain Whitmer's approval, likely after rigorous negotiations, to become reality. There would be no telling where budget cuts would come from in order to fund an unsustainable system for road funding, Minority leader Rep. Ranjeev Puri (D-Canton) said after a handful of Democrats voted in favor of the package of bills in the plan Wednesday. The plan is 'robbing Peter to pay Paul' Puri said, stealing money from one part of the state budget to pay for others. 'Without a fully baked plan, this is just a terrible use of our state dollars,' Puri said. 'We are putting so many critical services that are funded and dependent on our state budget at risk.' Sponsor on the bill package and Chair of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Rep Pat Outman (R-Six Lakes) rebutted after the votes, 'we are not cutting any essential services. You have my commitment.' In an overview, those essential services include public safety, public health, infrastructure and education, along with other sectors, Outman said as lawmakers go through the budget 'line by line' to eradicate wasteful spending or expenditures that are not getting taxpayer value. 'I don't know how to make it any clearer how much government spending has exploded here in the state of Michigan,' Outman said. 'If roads and education are our most pressing needs, why don't we fund those things first, then fund everything else after the fact. We don't seem to be able to budget like that and the people are begging us to act and to fix this infrastructure problem without raising their taxes and that's what we're delivering here.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Many lottery winners in Michigan must share their identity. A new bill could change that
If you win big in the Michigan lottery, but don't want the fame to go along with your fortune, you may be out of luck, but a state representative wants to change that. In Michigan, whether lottery winners can choose to remain anonymous or are required to go public with their identity depends on the type of lottery game they win, and the cash value of their winnings. However, a current legislative proposal by State Rep. Pat Outman, R-Six Lakes, could allow all lottery winners in the state to remain anonymous if it becomes law. Here's what to know. Outman introduced a bill on Jan. 14 that would allow winners of more than $10,000 from the Michigan Lottery, and winners of games played under joint enterprises to keep their names, addresses and other personal information private. "HB 4004 is about protecting people's right to privacy in an era where personal information is more accessible than ever. Eleven other states already allow lottery winners to remain anonymous, and it's time for Michigan to follow suit," Outman said in an emailed statement. "This isn't a partisan issue — every time it's been introduced, it's had broad bipartisan support. Ensuring the safety and privacy of our citizens should be a priority, and HB 4004 is a commonsense step in that direction." Outman proposed the bill in past legislative sessions and it was approved by the Michigan House of Representatives. However, the bill never made it to a vote in the Michigan Senate. "When Michigan introduced the lottery in the 1970s, the world was a much different place — there was no internet, no social media, and far fewer concerns about privacy and personal safety," Outman said. "Today, a lottery winner's name becoming public can lead to real dangers, including scams, harassment, and even violence. Tragically, there have been cases in other states where lottery winners were targeted and harmed simply because their identity was made public." Similar bills were introduced in 2021 and 2024. The Michigan Lottery is studying the bill, but has not yet taken a formal position on the proposal, Michigan Lottery spokesperson Jake Harris said. Michigan in-state lottery winners of cash prizes of $10,000 or below must disclose their identity publicly, Michigan Lottery Numbers said. Winners of multi-state lotteries are subject to the rules of the games under Michigan law, according to the Michigan Lottery. More: How can you contact your elected officials in Michigan? Here's what to know If you win a Michigan state lottery game with a cash prize of more than $10,000, you may remain anonymous unless you waive the right, according to the Michigan Lottery. There are 17 states where winners do not have to reveal their identities. : prize must be over $100,000 : any prize : prize must be over $250,000 Illinois: prize must be over $250,000 : any prize : any prize : prize must be over $10,000 : any prize : any prize : any prize : any prize : any prize : any prize : prize must be over $1 million : prize must be greater than $10 million : prize must be over $1 million : any prize While many multi-state lottery games publicly disclose the identity of winners, there is a way around that. By playing as a group, most individuals may be able to stay anonymous, but one member of the group must claim the prize publicly. In 2024, a Michigan trio won an $842.4 million Powerball jackpot, the group remained anonymous as their attorney accepted the prize. More: Stuck in the winter doldrums? See what there is to do in February in Michigan The Michigan Lottery offers a variety of options for gambling, including scratch-off tickets. Other major in-state games include: Lotto 47 Lucky for Life Fantasy 5 Club Keno USA Today contributed. Contact Jenna Prestininzi: jprestininzi@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan House bill seeks to provide anonymity to lottery winners
