(Source: MIRS.news, Published 01/09/2025) House Speaker Matt Hall (R-Richland Township) said Thursday the estimated $1 billion that the Senate Fiscal Agency says the state will ultimately end Fiscal Year 2024 with, and the extra $1 billion expected in the current FY ‘25 and next year’s FY '26 should be put into roads, bridges and infrastructure. 

“I thought we could do it before, and now we’ve got another $1 billion,” Hall told reporters during an hour-long press conference. “Do you know how much easier that’s gonna make it to get that done without raising taxes in our existing budget?" 

In addition to roads, Hall said he wants to create the Violence Prevention and Public Safety Trust Fund and reverse the tax hike that was a result of the Legislature not extending tax cuts. 

Not only that, but getting rid of the Michigan Business Tax (MBT) would free up $500 million per year to invest in roads. Currently, the MBT only exists to satisfy the numerous credits that were created against the tax during the Granholm administration. That's estimated to be a $500 million hit in FY ‘25 and FY ’26.  

“I have a lot of confidence in our Governor to negotiate a deal to fix that. I mean, she’s very talented, so if she commits to it, I bet you she could get a deal to get rid of those credits, and I could make it easier by just getting rid of the MBT,” Hall said. 

And, about the governor, Hall said he gives her credit for her new approach to working with President-Elect Donald Trump. He said he and the Governor have a pretty positive relationship and called her a talented politician. 

“People have asked me, ‘Do you think this is gonna be a combative two years or do you think it’ll be a productive two years?' I think it’ll be both. It’ll be combative and productive because we’re gonna get a lot done. That’s what happens when you have strong leadership,” Hall said. 

Transparency was another issue that Hall walked through during the discussion. He said not to expect fast action on Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) expansions, like the ones introduced in the Senate on Wednesday.  

As far as transparency goes, Hall said he’s more worried about the enhancement grants or “pork” projects that make it into the budget without having a legislator’s name attached to them. 

Rule 52 of Wednesday’s adopted House rules prevents any appropriations bill containing enhancement grants from being taken up without disclosure of the sponsor, recipient and a description of the grant, the last of which would need to be established by a House resolution. 

Hall also believes a bigger issue related to transparency was the budget-making conference committees that would meet in the middle of the night. 

“Those are much higher priorities,” Hall said.