LANSING – Sharp rhetoric over the path to adequate road funding preceded a unanimous vote for Michigan legislation to inject an additional $175 million into state roads this fiscal year, with a few minor additions for spending priorities for other departments.

HB 4321 passed 36-0 after Democratic amendments were jettisoned that would have infused even more cash into the state’s crumbling roads from the state’s rainy day fund.

Under the bill, a total of $175 million in General Fund for road construction would be fast tracked to the current fiscal year rather than waiting until fiscal year 2018-19, as proposed by Governor Rick Snyder.

Of the $175 million, funds totaling $68.425 million would be for county road commissions, $68.425 million to the State Trunkline Fund and $38.15 million for cities and villages.

Democrats, however, say this level of road funding is not enough. Democrats called the 2015 road plan largely passed by Republican vote a failed measure that does not adequately solve the state’s woeful road conditions.

While the 2015 plan gets $1.2 billion into roads, $600 million comes from the state’s General Fund and isn’t fully phased in until 2021. It also is not enough to bring the state’s roads into good condition, according to the Department of Transportation.

An amendment by Sen. Curtis Hertel Jr. (D-East Lansing) to use $275 million in rainy day fund dollars for additional road repairs failed 15-21.

“It’s raining in Michigan, literally at times raining concrete,” Mr. Hertel said of pieces of busted concrete damaging motorists’ vehicles.

Mr. Hertel used accounts of people having cars smashed by flying concrete and pictures circulating online showing people standing in knee-deep potholes as proof of the current system of road funding not working.

Republicans countered that the deteriorating road conditions have been years in the making, adding that the fast tracked $175 million in HB 4321 is a good start and will make a difference.

Sen. Dave Hildenbrand (R-Lowell) said the $175 million will be in addition to $600 million in additional funding for roads and bridges for the current fiscal year in funding that would not be there if not for the 2015 road bill. He said for fiscal year 2018-19 there will be $750 million for roads and bridges.

“It’s going to take some time to get them back in good conditions,” Mr. Hildenbrand said.

Senate Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof (R-West Olive) chastised Democrats for not voting on the 2015 road funding bill and complaining about inadequate funding now.

“It’s a bit disingenuous and I’m very disappointed that this has become a partisan issue, when you actually had the opportunity to participate in a long-term funding process,” Mr. Meekhof said.

But Democrats got some support for their position from one of the best-known Republicans in the state, Macomb County Public Works Commissioner Candice Miller, the former secretary of state and U.S. House member. Ms. Miller told WWJ-AM the $175 million is a “drop in the pothole” and called for the use of the Budget Stabilization Fund to provide more funds to address the crisis.

Concerns have become exacerbated in recent weeks as a series of sharp temperature swings involving abrupt freezing and thawing took place, enhancing the level of wear and tear on roads.

Senate Minority Leader Jim Ananich (D-Flint) told reporters after the vote the need for a vote to fast track $175 million “is an acknowledgement that the (2015) plan didn’t work.”

Sen. Tory Rocca (R-Sterling Heights) called the current state funding system for road repairs “institutionalized theft” by pointing to the roads in his district.

“Poor does not even begin to describe them,” Mr. Rocca said.

Mr. Rocca went on to make a general accusation of other members of the chamber moving money to their districts to repair roads in far less need than those in his district, leaving roads in his district to fall into terrible shape. The accusation by Mr. Rocca was sharply denied by multiple Republican lawmakers following session.

Several smaller items were added to the bill by Senate leadership. A total of $1 million was added for the Office of Attorney General to pay for its investigation into sexual misconduct at Michigan State University.

Appropriators also added $2.4 million to the bill for the State Police. Of this, $2 million would be for disaster and emergency contingency fund use, $250,000 for providing officers with NARCAN nasal spray to treat opioid overdoses and $150,000 for the public safety officers benefit program.

The $4 million in federal dollars is for the Department of State to go towards the purchase of new voting equipment.

The House took quick action Thursday unanimously concurring with the Senate changes and enrolling the bill.

House Minority Leader Sam Singh (D-East Lansing) offered an amendment – which failed – to the supplemental he said would ensure the Department of Attorney General’s investigation into Michigan State University is truly independent.

“A few weeks ago when the investigation was announced, the attorney general talked about it being an independent investigation and that Prosecutor Forsyth would be an independent agent,” he said. “Unfortunately after reading the contract between the attorney general’s office and Prosecutor Forsyth, that is not actually the case.”

Mr. Singh said his amendment would create a firewall allowing Attorney General Bill Schuette to recuse himself from the investigation and appoint a deputy to work with Bill Forsyth, who is heading up the department’s MSU investigation.

While Democrats in both chambers attempted to get more road funding into the supplemental, House Speaker Tom Leonard (R-DeWitt) said Republicans were the ones who were able to get a road funding plan passed in 2015.

“I know that Democrats have enjoyed criticizing it,” Mr. Leonard said of the plan that puts $1.2 billion into roads by 2021. “But with all due respect to them, the last time they actually came to the table on a roads solution, the citizens of this state shot it down 80-20. They have done nothing but played politics with this issue (and) haven’t wanted to come to the table to solve it.”

Mr. Leonard said Republicans are taking the condition of the state’s roads seriously.

“I am glad we stepped up and allocated $175 million to roads,” he told reporters.

This story was published by Gongwer News Service.