State Rep. Ben Frederick today urged a quick resolution to budget negotiations with a looming Oct. 1 constitutional deadline, stressing that funding for schools, public safety and other essential services must not be held up due to Governor Whitmer’s continued insistence on a large fuel tax hike which has failed to gain support from nearly all legislators on both sides of the aisle.

“The clock is ticking, with the deadline for passing a state budget quickly approaching,” said Frederick, of Owosso. “Numerous ideas have been presented to the governor which would resolve both roads and the budget, but her insistence on a large fuel tax increase as the only path she will accept has delayed negotiations and created uncertainty for schools and local governments.

“I have heard from an overwhelming number of local families who simply cannot afford the governor’s $6- to $10-per-fillup gas tax increase. That is a devastating hit to the pocketbook for most families and would bring our tax at the pump to the highest level in the nation. The governor’s proposal hits low-income families, seniors on fixed incomes and the commuters in mid-Michigan equally hard. I’m disappointed she continues to bring up a proposal that has little to no support in the public or in the Legislature. It is time to move on to other ideas put forward that reprioritize existing spending while considering less regressive sources of revenue.”

Frederick also called for the budget to be finalized on time regardless of whether the roads discussion is resolved before Oct. 1.

A budget proposal approved by the House in June adds more than $800 million a year to road repairs and $226 million in K-12 school foundation grant funding without a tax increase. The road funding portion of the proposal comes on top of a 2015 plan already adding to roads gradually, with more than $1 billion in additional annual revenue estimated to be generated by 2021.

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