LANSING (WKZO-AM) — Despite it looking like lawmakers were close to a deal, a plan to fix Michigan’s crumbling roads has fizzled once again.
For most Democrats, the problem with this latest deal was that they were shut out of the process.
However, for Sen. Margaret O’Brien, R-Portage, she couldn’t support the 40 percent hike in vehicle registration fees.
“We need to make sure that whatever we do isn’t going to throw such a burden on families that are already working hard to make their ends meet,” O’Brien said.
Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker, R-Lawton, said the fee hike also made her uncomfortable.
“I’ve heard my constituents say they want to fix the roads now,” Schuitmaker said. “But trying to find that perfect point where you don’t burden Michigan’s taxpayers is certainly a difficult balance to achieve.”
For some Republicans, the fact that it wouldn’t be fully implemented until 2021 was a non-starter.
Further talks are planned Wednesday with hopes of getting something together by the end of the week.
– John McNeill
