State House Speaker Lee Chatfield Talks Roads, Budget and More
“I think it’s a false narrative that it’s one party’s fault or one person’s fault,” says Lee Chatfield on the enduring gridlock on roads.
Former State House Speaker Lee Chatfield on Jan. 30, 2020.
Lansing is consumed with debate and deliberation surrounding the newly released budget proposal and roads funding reform.
What is included in the year’s budget and what can be expected out of the state legislature in 2020?
“The root of the problem is that we pay three taxes at the pump. Step one for me is taking all the tax dollars at the pump and putting them toward roads.” – Speaker Lee Chatfield
Listen: Michigan House Speaker Lee Chatfield on Detroit Today
Guest
State House Speaker Lee Chatfield, a Republican from Levering representing Michigan’s 107th district, joins Detroit Today with Stephen Henderson to talk transit, taxes and potential consensus.
Regarding roads, Chatfield says it’s imperative to get at the source of the issue.
“The root of the problem is that we pay three taxes at the pump,” says Chatfield. Going forward, “Step one for me is taking all the tax dollars at the pump and putting them toward roads.”
Governor Whitmer recently released her state budget plan and talks are starting in a more promising place than last year. This is in large part due to the fact that this year’s plan is not contingent on roads funding. Chatfield says there is a little bit more room for negotiations in this budget proposal for this very reason. The Speaker, while cautiously optimistic, says he still does not to expect budget talks to be wrapped up in time for the Mackinac Policy Conference in May.
