CHICAGO - Michigan lawmakers will meet for a rare summer session to hammer out a plan to raise new money for roads and bridges after a recent tax referendum went down in flames.
Lawmakers will meet on various dates throughout June, July, August and September.
Sen. Majority Leader Mike Kowall, R-White Lake, said the extra session is needed to "complete our work." "After a careful review of our goals, I found it to be unreasonable to expect that we can accomplish our work without the addition of these session days," Kowall said in a statement. "I look forward to working with my colleagues on legislation that is vital to fostering Michigan's continued comeback."
Lawmakers are trying to figure out a new plan to address the state's infamously bad roads and bridges. Supporters, like Gov. Rick Snyder, say at least $1 billion of new annual money is needed to take care of the problem.
Snyder has made new road money a top legislative priority for years. Last December, he reached a compromise with lawmakers that would have raised the sales tax to 7% from 6% and revamped the gas and diesel tax structure.
The compromise required the proposal to go before the voters. They rejected it on May 5 by the one of the largest margins in state history.
Lawmakers and Snyder began working on a new solution the day after the election. The most recent proposal, introduced this week by House Speaker Kevin Cotter, R-Mt. Pleasant, would raise $1 billion over four years by ending earned income tax credits, tapping into casino revenue and film subsidies, and relying on growing general fund dollars.
On Thursday the House adopted a resolution creating a special committee on roads and economic development.
