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Amid Road Funding Debate, New Bills Offer Freedom to Local Communities

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The roads debate was supposed to be tabled last week so lawmakers could focus on the budget.

Wednesday, GOP leaders say Governor Gretchen Whitmer pulled out of talks because she actually wanted less money for the roads.

While the debate continues, some lawmakers are looking to help with roads no matter what funding is decided.

“They’ve got to do what they’ve got to do and I’m going to do what I gotta do,” says Gov. Whitmer.

With two and a half weeks to go, the Governor and the legislature seem further apart from a budget deal than ever. The sticking point? Roads.

“I introduced a budget six months ago that included $2.5 billion for roads,” says Gov. Whitmer, “To come back and say we all of a sudden want to put in one-time money and does not fix the problem.”

The Governor wanted it all and the GOP offered less. Since then it has been a battle, holding up the state budget deal.

“That’s why we had to take roads out of the conversation, which they agreed to,” says Gov. Whitmer, “And then an hour later they say they want more one time money for roads? A pittance for what we really need.”

We don’t know which plan is going to be accepted and how much is going to be spent on roads but we do know that there is a new package of bills introduced by the Transportation Committee that will make it easier for local municipalities to spend that money.

“Whatever that figure is, this will make those dollars go farther,” says State Representative Jack O’Malley of Lake Ann.

Rep. O’Malley’s bill package would open up freedom for local governments, like reverse a mandate that a majority of money must be spent on primary roads.

“What happens if your local roads, your secondary roads, are the ones that stink?” says Rep. O’Malley, “You’re screwed.”

And another that would allow individual counties to raise their registration fees or a gas tax and keep that money.

“If I know that the gallon of gas that I am buying, that tax is going to my roads in Benzie County, guess what? I’m going to make sure I buy that gasoline here,” says Rep. O’Malley.

These bills are separate from the budget but they can complement each other if the two sides ever agree.

“I’ve done my job,” says Gov. Whitmer, “Now it’s time for them to do their’s.”

Local road commissions have been keeping up with everything going on in Lansing and how it will affect their roads.

9&10’s Chloe Kiple went live in Honor with a fresh take from the Benzie County Road Commission about the O’Malley bills.

The Benzie County Road Commission takes care of 626 miles of roadway.

Like many places across the state, the commission wants more money to maintain them and has mixed feelings about a local fuel tax.

Matt Skeely, manager of the Benzie Road Commission, says it would be good. But he worries a statewide fuel tax could disproportionately benefit downstate.

Benzie only has a handful of gas stations and a local tax may not help them too much. Some fill up in Grand Traverse, where many work during the day.

“If it is a situation where it is point-of-sale type of tax where just the money collected in Benzie County would go to Benzie County, I don’t know that that would do us a lot of good,” he says.

We’ll be speaking with drivers this evening about their thoughts and have their full reactions on 9&10 at 10 and 11.

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