The grassroots efforts of ACEC members and other groups that make up Michigan's Transportation Team paid off yesterday as the House passed transportation funding "shell" bills to avoid missing a constitutional deadline. The law requires that first-chamber bills be given five days consideration before being voted on. The bills that were passed were void of detail and primarily act as a placeholder for the insertion of detailed information. The House and Senate will return on Thursday, December 18 for a final day of session.

Negotiations are ongoing between leadership in the House and Senate, and with the Governor, to develop acceptable language.

The details being discussed in the funding proposal were taken from recommendations contained in the Transportation Funding Task Force (TF2) report released in early November. Changing over to a wholesale fuel price tax, as opposed to a straight 19-cent gas tax and 15-cent diesel tax, closing various loopholes and increasing vehicle registration fees are the key components of the proposal.

For more information Contact: Ron Brenke