Michigan lawmakers aim to finalize state budget by July 1

The Michigan Legislature is working to finish next year’s budget by July 1. Both parties are addressing key issues such as economic development, education, and infrastructure.

Senator Roger Victory discusses road funding solutions

Roger Victory, the state senator for Michigan’s 31st District, spoke with WDET’s Jerome Vaughn at the Mackinac Policy Conference. The Hudsonville Republican says he’s been having conversations with colleagues in the House about potential solutions to Michigan’s road funding challenges. Victory, who has served on the Transportation Committee, says he’s well-versed in the issue.

A key part of the discussion, he says, is how local entities can partner with the state by making direct investments in roads.

“If you study some of the places where the local roads are at, you see those counties or townships, or municipalities — they, themselves, are putting investments into those roads. And they’ve been moving the needle.”

Victory believes this local investment can help create a statewide framework to improve roads.

“If we could come up with half a billion dollars at the state level, incentivizing our locals with half a billion dollars, that’s a billion-dollar-a-year investment.”

He says this approach could significantly improve local roads over the next decade. When asked whether that’s enough funding, he replied that it’s “$10 billion more than is being spent now.”

Victory also emphasized the importance of following best practices and modeling road improvements after communities that are already succeeding. He supports using current funding mechanisms to make smarter infrastructure investments.

Education and workforce development a priority

Victory says another key to attracting businesses to Michigan is building an educated workforce. He cited an example from his own district:

“We have a career-line tech center. Fabulous. Know the problem? It’s so good that there’s a waiting line for students. There should be no waiting list for those students who want to enter that career-line tech center.”

He also says more effort is needed to recruit and support instructors, noting that many skilled professionals face a choice between teaching or pursuing more lucrative jobs in the private sector.