3/15/14 - The chairman of the Michigan Democratic Party alleges a local Senator is dragging his feet on a long-term solution for the roads crisis following his recent vote against a road funding bill. Senate Bill 608 included $215 million in funding to repair roads and bridges during the worst winter Michigan has seen in decades. Michigan Democratic Party Chair Lon Johnson targeted Senator Joe Hune in a press release for voting against the supplemental budget bill he says fills a hole in the budget that Michigan Republicans created by failing to give Medicaid expansion immediate effect. Johnson says Republican politicians made road problems worse when they voted to take $1.8 (B) billion dollars and give it to corporations instead of using it to fix crumbling infrastructure. Hune defended his vote by saying that if the Legislature wants to address roads and focus on responsible legislation thatâs not bogged down with special interests and frivolous government spending, heâs all for it. The Hamburg Township Republican says the road money was not the only component of the bill and it included a number of appropriations â one that would have resulted in a significant mandate on county governments as well as pet projects from the Department of Natural Resources Department of Treasury. Hune says it was also predicated on a potential tax increase to fill a shortfall in the Medicaid budget, which if not addressed, will result in over half of the road money being re-allocated away from roads. Senate Bill 608 passed both chambers on a bi-partisan vote Wednesday after coming out of a conference committee. The complete press release that was issued and Hune's response may be viewed in the attachments below. (JM)
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