LANSING – The Michigan Senate saw little controversy in moving its final budget bills Thursday outside of Sen. Curtis Hertel Jr. calling for the savings from the other budgets being used for road construction.

But, in the end, the most Senate opposition came on the higher education budget (SB 138), which passed 22-15, and the only partisan split was on the vehicle bill for the final omnibus budget, SB 130, which moved 26-11.

Hertel (D-East Lansing) urged changes to the Department of Transportation budget (SB 148) that would spread the $542 million in General Fund pared from the other budgets and withheld from the Budget Stabilization Fund through the state’s transportation funding formula.

“This gives a funding opportunity to completely repair our roads,” Hertel said. “This would not increase the burden to our taxpayers one penny.”

Sen. Goeff Hansen (R-Hart), chair of the Senate Appropriations Transportation Subcommittee, countered that the additional funds would just push up the cost of repairs because road builders would not have the resources to complete the added projects.

“I support the passion and idea of putting more money into our roads,” Hansen said. “This is a larger discussion of the money that we’re putting into our roads.”

The amendment failed, but did attract votes from Republicans Sen. Patrick Colbeck of Canton Township, Sen. Ken Horn of Frankenmuth, Sen. Rick Jones of Grand Ledge, Sen. Margaret O’Brien of Portage, Sen. Tory Rocca of Sterling Heights, Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker of Lawton and Sen. Dale Zorn of Ida, who joined Democrats in a close tally

But on final passage, only Rocca joined in opposition with Mr. Hertel, Senate Minority Leader Jim Ananich (D-Flint), Sen. Steve Bieda (D-Warren) and Sen. Morris Hood III (D-Detroit), leaving a 32-7 vote in favor of the budget.

Senate Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof (R-West Olive) said after session that the state does face infrastructure needs. “That’s due to deferred maintenance over the last 10 or 15 years,” he said. “That’s a significant problem and we’re going to have to find a way to fix it.

The Fix MI State campaign, a coalition led by the Michigan Infrastructure and Transportation Association, called on the Legislature to reinstate the governor’s proposed infrastructure fund in the final version of the budget.

Mike Nystrom, executive vice president for MITA, said the Senate budget “raises questions and doubts about whether lawmakers understand the massive infrastructure problems facing Michigan and if they are at all serious about fixing them.”

“We call on the Legislature to restore the MIF because Michigan’s infrastructure needs extend well beyond roads and bridges,” Nystrom said in a statement. “Michigan voters understand that because every day they see and hear about the Flint water crisis, sinkholes in Fraser and Kalamazoo, a sinkhole and road collapsing in Hamburg Township just last month, nearly 100 Michigan beach closings every summer, billions of gallons of sewage spilling into our lakes and rivers every year, and other local examples of failing infrastructure.”

Meekhof agreed on the need for infrastructure work, but said the chamber decides that, for now, the $20 million the governor had set aside for the fund could be better used elsewhere.

“We just think the money can be used other places that give us improvement,” he said.

On the higher education budget (SB 138), two different Democrats offered essentially the same amendment to restore increases as proposed by the administration for the five universities – Eastern Michigan University, Michigan State University, University of Michigan, Wayne State University and Western Michigan University – that are still seeing less state dollars than they did in 2011. Both amendments failed.

The opposition in the 22-15 vote was the Democratic Caucus and Colbeck, Jones, Rocca and Zorn.

The Department of Corrections budget (SB 144) saw some confusion by members. It originally passed 35-2, with Casperson and Zorn opposed. But it was reconsidered later in the session and Nofs and Emmons joined the opposition for a 33-4 final vote.

The budget also saw opposition comment from the department, where spokesperson Chris Gautz said the proposed cuts are steeper than prisons can handle.

“The faulty logic used by the Senate to come up with these drastic cuts makes every prison in our state less safe, and will end up costing taxpayers more,” Gautz said in a statement. “The MDOC is a national leader in corrections and other states are trying to emulate our success. The Senate budget takes us backward and puts real lives in danger.”

He said the department would work with legislators to adjust the budget.

The community colleges budget (SB 134) passed on a 32-5 vote with mostly Republicans opposed. Hood joined Colbeck, Jones, Rocca and Zorn in opposing.

The Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs budget (SB 137) passed on a 35-2 vote with Schuitmaker and Zorn opposed.

The chamber gave 37-0 support to the budgets for the departments of Education (SB 147), State Police (SB 145), Military and Veterans Affairs (SB 146) and Insurance and Financial Services (SB 136), as well as for the Judiciary (SB 143). The State Police budget saw a $100 placeholder added for funding for the advanced 911 service.

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