Inside 208

After a marathon final day of lame duck the House and the Senate were able to successfully put together the framework for a comprehensive long-term solution for investing in Michigan’s infrastructure. Although we would have liked the legislature to solve this problem independently, they approved a ballot proposal that will...

This week is likely to be very busy in Lansing when it comes to transportation funding and the League will need your help. Many of you have already contacted your lawmakers on this issue in recent days, but we need you to keep the pressure on. Stay tuned to our Inside...

The Michigan Municipal League sent to the media this week a series of letters to the editor to encourage the state House to approve the transportation funding package passed in the Senate on Nov. 13. The House is considering a couple different transportation funding options and we want the state...

In a huge vote, the Michigan Senate has just passed HB 5477, a bill that would phase in a new percentage-based gasoline tax that will result in an additional $1.2 billion for transportation funding by 2019. Revenue from other bills in this package result in transportation increases as high as...

Discussions are currently taking place in Lansing on finding a way to raise new revenue for Michigan’s transportation network during the current lame duck legislative session. House Bill 5477 is a key piece to this new revenue. It would switch the current cents per gallon tax on fuel to a percentage based...

The package of bills sent over by the House has hit a road block in the Senate. Democrats are arguing for protection of prevailing wage, the current electoral college system, and the need to provide tax relief for the working poor by reinstating the cuts made in 2011 to the...

The Senate has adopted a substitute to HB 5477 that would gradually increase the new percentage tax on gasoline over four years from 9.5 percent beginning January 1, 2015, to 11.5% beginning January 1, 2016, and to 13.5 percent beginning January 1, 2017. For the year beginning January 1, 2018,...

The House today voted out ten bills that represent another step forward in providing additional funding for our transportation system. These bills would eliminate the gas tax paid at the pump and instead charge a 6% tax on the wholesale price. They would ensure taxes paid on diesel are equal...

Over the past two days the Tax Policy Committee has taken testimony on bills that would dedicate a portion of the general fund revenue from the sales tax collected at the pump and 1% of the use tax and dedicate that money to roads. HB 5459 states that after all...

The House Transportation Committee began taking testimony on Speaker Bolger’s plan to raise $450 Million dollars for roads. Offering testimony today was MDOT, Michigan Building and Construction Trades Council, and the County Road Association of Michigan. The plan focused on four specific subject areas: increasing efficiencies, improving quality, improving fairness...