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.

At the Mackinac Policy Conference on Mackinac Island last week, Michigan Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist announced new incentive programs aimed at promoting entrepreneurship and retaining talent in the state. 

“I think this is all about making it easier for people to say yes to living in the state of Michigan, yes to growing in the state of Michigan, yes to succeeding in the state of Michigan,” Gilchrist told WDET. “That’s what I want to do.”

The Make MI Home funding includes $210,000 for housing for new grads looking to start businesses in Detroit; $100,000 for attracting and retaining college students in Flint; and nearly $60,000 for housing and childcare programs in the Traverse City area, among other programs. The grants will also help support building out broadband internet, and making solar energy more accessible to people in Michigan’s urban areas.

“People need to see a future for themselves everywhere — a community they can afford, a home that they can afford, and we have worked to do that and build solutions for that all across the state of Michigan,” Gilchrist said. “But I know that one of the anxieties that parents have all across Michigan, whether you are on the eastern Peninsula or the east side of Detroit where I’m from, parents are worried about their kids growing up, leaving and never coming home.”

Gilchrist says the bottom line of these programs is to ensure Michigan remains competitive.

“We want them to say yes in Michigan, so we can build the things that matter. And so that means one: they have to be confident that our workforce is prepared. They have to be confident that our infrastructure is solid,” he said. “That’s why we’ve made these historic investments.”

Gilchrist has taken a larger role in announcing statewide programs more recently — likely tied to his run for governor.

He is seeking the Democratic nomination in the race along with Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson. On the Republican side, State Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt and Michigan Congressman John James have also announced their candidacies for governor, while Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan will be running as an independent. 

—WDET’s Jenny Sherman contributed to this report.