MARQUETTE, MI – (Great Lakes Radio News) – In his third State of the State address, delivered last night, Governor
Rick Snyder called for more funding for Michigan’s roads, no-reason absentee voting and reforms to no-fault insurance.
The governor says lawmakers need to find a way to raise $1.2 billion for Michigan roads, noting that investment in the state’s roads has economic and safety benefits such as fewer auto repairs, more construction jobs and fewer deaths on the roadways.
Snyder renewed his endorsements of raising registration fees and changing the state’s 19-cent per-gallon gas tax to a percentage tax based on the wholesale rate. He also would like to change the state’s road funding formula, but laid out no basic proposal of how much would be raised by each tax and how.
The governor said he would also like to allow voters to register online and to vote absentee without a reason, such as disability or being out of town on an Election Day.
Snyder said auto insurance costs in Michigan are too high and called for reforms to no-fault insurance and for the creation of an insurance fraud authority. The governor also renewed his call for lawmakers to pass legislation overhauling the governance of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.
Great Lakes Radio – Delivering reliable and accurate local news to you on air, online and on demand
