Reps. Palmer, Hummel, Drolet, Meyer, Koetje, Sheen, Wenke, Stakoe, Nofs, Acciavatti, Adamini, Bieda, Brandenburg, Caswell, Caul, DeRossett, Elkins, Emmons, Farhat, Gieleghem, Gillard, Gleason, Hager, Huizenga, Jamnick, Kooiman, Lipsey, Middaugh, Milosch, Murphy, Newell, Pappageorge, Pastor, Phillips, Pumford, Robertson, Rocca, Sak, Shaffer, Sheltrown, Shulman, Spade, Stahl, Stallworth, Taub, Tobocman, Voorhees and Ward offered the following resolution:
House Resolution No. 198.
A resolution to memorialize the Congress of the United States to establish a minimum rate of return of 95 percent of Michigan’s federal transportation funding for highway and transit programs.
Whereas, From 1956 to 2001 Michigan residents paid $1.71 billion dollars more in gas tax money to the federal government than they received in return. Only three states have a worse return rate than Michigan for that period; and
Whereas, Michigan faces a difficult task in maintaining a transportation network that meets the many needs of the individuals and businesses of this state. This task is made much more formidable by the continuing inequity of the percentage of funds returned to the state; and
Whereas, The federal road funding act, the Transportation Equity Act of the 21st Century (TEA-21), expired on February 29, 2004; and
Whereas, The House Surface Transportation Extension Act of 2004, signed by President Bush on February 29, 2004, extends highway, safety, transit, and other programs until April 30, 2004; and
Whereas, The United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate each have bills pending to authorize a new funding system for the states; and
Whereas, In 2003, Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 1, House Concurrent Resolution No. 5, and House Resolution No. 9 all memorialized the Congress of the United States to establish a minimum rate of return of 95 percent of Michigan’s federal transportation funding for highway and transit programs. As the federal government works on the next budget, it is imperative that this issue be kept before policymakers at every level to achieve this long overdue measure of equity; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we hereby memorialize the Congress of the United States to establish a minimum return rate of 95 percent of Michigan’s federal transportation funding for highway and transit programs to bring greater fairness to the federal funding of transportation needs in Michigan; and be it further
Resolved, That we further memorialize Congress to act before the beginning of the 2004 road construction season; and be it further
Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.