Michigan Notes

[afguy]

Here's an article that isn't behind a paywall regarding the bills the house passed regarding increased road funding. A large portion of it would go toward local roads.

House passes $3.1B road funding plan with some Dem support. Senate calls it 'nonsense'

The road funding plan advanced Wednesday, in broad strokes, would push roughly $2.2 billion in Corporate Income Tax revenue toward roads plus a $945 million tax swap at the pump for a total of about $3.1 billion in new funding for roads. The path to achieve that total is complicated.

First, the legislation dedicates an estimated $2.2 billion in revenue from the 6% Corporate Income Tax to roads, with about 86% of the total earmarked for township, city and county roads. The $2.2 billion would mean about $1.2 billion currently going to the general fund would be redirected and a $500 million annual earmark for the state's controversial business incentive fund, the Strategic Outreach and Attraction Reserve fund, would be eliminated.

The legislation also would eliminate the 6% sales tax at the pump and replace it with a 20-cent increase in the fuel tax — a swap that would largely come out even for each gallon pumped — so all taxes paid at the pump would go toward road and bridge funding. The 20-cent increase, from about 31 cents per gallon to 51 cents per gallon, would generate about an estimated $945 million in new revenue for roads.

Both of those revenue streams for roads would create holes in various parts of the budget that separate legislation seeks to account for.

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2025/03/19/michigan-house-republican-oks-3-1b-road-funding-plan-with-some-democratic-support-matt-hall-senate/82547933007/

[JREwing78]

Not impressed. Nonetheless, a gauntlet has been laid down.

Folks should be rightfully irritated with the Dems for not figuring it out before the end of the last election cycle. They left the door open for this.