State lawmakers must drive on different Michigan roads than the rest of us.
Otherwise, you'd assume that they'd feel urgency to pass legislation to fix the roads we travel.
On Tuesday, after many many months of talks and delays and more talks, the Michigan Senate on Tuesday narrowly approved increasing fuel taxes and vehicle registration fees to partially fund a $1.2-billion road package — but not until after the next general election.
Key bills passed by 20-18 votes, according to Paul Egan of the Detroit Free Press, with only Sen. Virgil Smith, D-Detroit, voting with the Republicans.
Chad Livengood of The Detroit News writes:
The compromise road funding plan, brokered by majority Republicans after months of negotiations, would raise the tax on gasoline by 7.3 cents and hike the diesel tax by 11.3 cents on Jan. 1, 2017.
The Senate also approved increasing vehicle registration fees on all passenger cars, vans and trucks by 20 percent, starting on Jan. 1, 2017
-- Allan Lengel
