LANSING, Mich. – There's another stalemate in Lansing when it comes to fixing Michigan's crumbling roads. The House was supposed to vote Tuesday on a 15-cent gas tax increase, but that didn't happen because Republicans realized they don't have enough votes.
It was expected to be a tight vote, but if the bill had passed, a plan to fix Michigan's roads would have headed to the Governor's desk.
Instead, lawmakers are headed back to the drawing board.
"The majority here is afraid to level with the people about what it costs to fix our roads," said Democratic State Rep. Jim Townshend.
Democrats are dead-set against the plan that would raise the gas tax by 15 cents over three years and cut $700 million or more from the general fund. Republicans, though the majority, couldn't muster enough votes themselves to pass the plan.
"Smoke and mirrors," Townshend said. "I mean, it's not a realistic plan to say that we're going to take a billion dollars out of the general fund to fund the roads. If it were that easy, we would have passed a plan four years ago."
Without the votes, the Speaker adjourned the session and Republicans went into a closed-door meeting. The Democrats used this opportunity to introduce another new plan, one that increases business taxes instead of the gas tax.
"Corporations use our roads and bridges as much or more than individuals and families and they shouldn't be given a free ride when it comes to fixing our crumbling infrastructure," said Democratic State Rep. Tim Greimel.
Rep. Jeff Farrington (R-Utica) says it's good the Democrats have a plan. However, with two House plans, a Senate plan and one from the Governor, Farrington says, sorting so many plans is slowing down the process.
Democrats, however, blame the delay in passing a road plan on the Republican majority for not having its act together.
"We're certainly willing to meet them somewhere in the middle if we can get some values agreed upon," Townshend said. "Those values need to be that folks who are struggling to get by shouldn't shoulder the vast majority of the burden of fixing our roads."
The most obvious obstacle for the Democrats' plan, which relies on a $955 million business tax increase, may be Gov. Rick Snyder. It was Snyder who cut business taxes in the first place.
It appears unlikely that the House will vote on any plan Wednesday. Sources say the Republicans are attempting to pull from all the plans to craft one that can work for everyone.