MDP Chair Lon Johnson Blasts Sen. Hune For Voting Against $215M in Road Funding

Calls out GOP for refusing to approve a fix for a problem they created

LANSING - Today Michigan Democratic Party Chair Lon Johnson excoriated Sen. Joe Hune (R - Hamburg) for voting against Senate Bill 608, the supplemental budget bill filling the hole in the budget Michigan Republicans created by failing to give Medicaid expansion immediate effect. The bill included $215 million for a short-term fix for the roads.

"You’ve got to wonder about the rationale in voting against $215 million to help patch our roads in the midst of the worst winter we’ve seen in decades, but that's exactly what Sen. Hune did." said Johnson. "Hune must not drive the same pothole-laden roads his constituents are driving. Not only has he been dragging his feet on a long-term solution for the roads crisis, now it's clear he doesn't even think they need patching up."

SB 608 passed both chambers on a bipartisan vote Wednesday after coming out of a conference committee. 

The bill also included $9.9 million for an infant mortality research and treatment center, and $10.4 million for Military and Veterans Affairs, including $2 million to deliver services to Michigan’s veterans. SB 608 also appropriates $13 million for a funding increase to community mental health centers.

Michigan ranks last in the nation for spending on roads.

"Republican politicians made our road problems worse when they voted to take $1.8 billion dollars and give it to corporations instead of using it to fix our crumbling infrastructure, and that hurts all of us," said Johnson. "Sen. Hune needs to explain to his constituents why he voted against even this small investment in repairing our roads and bridges."