LANSING, Mich. – Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder's pause for reflection Tuesday was billed as a recap of his time in office, but as it stands, some of his biggest decisions might still lie ahead.
Snyder was noncommittal about signing any of the lame-duck bills stacked in his office.
While the Republican-controlled Legislature meets to decide which measures it will pass on to the GOP governor for a signature, a tunnel for Enbridge Line 5 is the only piece of legislation Snyder has committed to signing.
His administration has been working on what to do with the aging pipeline under the Straits of Mackinac since 2014. As far as the rest of the bills, especially contentious measures dealing with changing the timeline for raising the minimum wage and scaling back paid sick time, Snyder isn't revealing his decision.
"What shows up at my desk I will carefully evaluate and make a decision in the best interest of the people of Michigan," Snyder said.
The three piece of legislation the governor is invested in are the tunnel for Line 5 and what he's calling Renew and Rebuild Michigan, which would increase the tipping fees garbage haulers pay to dump in the state.
Rebuild Michigan adds $20 per year to water bills. The tipping fees would pay for environmental cleanup in the state and the water bill surcharge would go back to local communities to pay for aging water pipes and other issues.
The question is whether Snyder will trade getting what he wants for passing the Legislature's list of wants.
"The people here in Lansing know I'm not a horse trader," Snyder said. "I'm not known for that. I believe in good policy and I try to work with the people, and the bottom line: Is it good for the people of Michigan or not?"