A veteran of the House Fiscal Agency breaks down the transportation budget process

On this week’s edition of the Talking Michigan Transportation podcast, a conversation with Bill Hamilton, a senior transportation funding analyst at the Michigan House Fiscal Agency (HFA). 

As negotiations proceed on Michigan state government’s fiscal year 2023 budget, Hamilton explains the challenges and how things are unique with a needed infusion of federal dollars through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), following relief from federal pandemic funds. 

Hamilton also talks about the IIJA’s impact in Michigan. This analysis breaks down the benefits to states.  

Acknowledging Michigan’s decades of underinvestment in transportation infrastructure, he talks about the history of the discussion and the reasons why it has been so difficult for Michigan policymakers to agree on a long-term and sustainable funding solution. 

 Other relevant links: 

A primer on the legislative act that lays out the funding formula for roads in Michigan at the state, county and city/village levels
https://www.house.mi.gov/hfa/archives/pdf/act51.pdf 

An HFA fiscal brief: MTF Distribution Formula to Local Road Agencies
https://www.house.mi.gov/hfa/PDF/Alpha/Fiscal_Brief_MTF_Distribution_Formula_to_LRA_Mar2022_Update.pdf 

Perspective from the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments https://semcog.org/desktopmodules/SEMCOG.Publications/GetFile.ashx?filename=PerspectiveOnMichiganRoadFunding.pdf