LANSING – After several attempts by Democrats to make changes on the floor were rejected, the first piece of Governor Rick Snyder’s special message on infrastructure is set for final passage. But the bills are not on the agenda for Wednesday’s session.
The bills would allow county boards of commissioners to take over the powers, duties and functions of their road commissions.
HB 5125 and HB 5126 , introduced by Rep. Jon Switalski (D-Warren) and Rep. Dale Zorn (R-Ida), respectively, have bipartisan support as House Speaker Jase Bolger (R-Marshall) and House Minority Leader Richard Hammel (D-Mount Morris Township) both came out in support early on.
Members of road commissions from around the state came to the Capitol on Tuesday to speak with their lawmakers about the bill.
“A governmental body that was created by a vote of the electorate in each county should not be eliminated by resolution of another elected governmental entity,” John Niemela, director of the County Road Association of Michigan, said in a statement. “Road commissions were created by a vote of the people and should only be eliminated, regionalized or consolidated by a vote of the electorate.”
He said commissions should not be merged just for the sake of consolidation. In Genesee County, he noted, the road commission has a better bond rating with Standard & Poor’s than the county government does, and a recent storm water culvert replacement program would have cost more than $53,000 more annually if the county had to seek the bond.
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