Ken Sikkema and Bob Emerson have a plan to solve Michigan's transportation funding crisis.

On the latest edition of Talking Michigan Transportation, Jeff talks with former Michigan legislative leaders Ken Sikkema and Bob Emerson about a bold bipartisan plan they offered to solve Michigan’s decades-long transportation funding crisis.

https://dehayf5mhw1h7.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/757/2019/01/31110650/MichiganConsensusPolicyRoadFundingProposal.pdf

Sikkema, a Republican, served as Michigan Senate majority leader from 2003 through 2006, and Emerson, a Democrat, served as budget director from 2007 through 2010 under Gov. Jennifer Granholm. Emerson also served as Michigan Senate minority leader from 2003 through 2006. Emerson and Sikkema co-chaired the Michigan Consensus Policy Project, which in January proposed raising the state’s tax on gasoline and diesel fuel by 47 cents over nine years.

Many research studies informed their recommendations, including reports from the Citizens Research Council and the 21st Century Infrastructure Commission, a non-partisan group that identified Michigan’s need for investment in roads at $2.6 billion, a number already obsolete because of the continuing deterioration of roads and bridges.

https://www.michigan.gov/documents/snyder/21st_Century_Infrastructure_Commission_Final_Report_1_544276_7.pdf

Emerson and Sikkema’s group also explored other ideas to raise the revenue but found broad agreement on the traditional fuel tax because of the difficulty in a transition to other road-funding mechanisms.

One idea discussed includes a vehicle miles traveled (VMT) fee. That concept has been piloted in other states and most recently gained traction in Washington state.

The Washington Transportation Commission will review a report from a panel that studied a pay-by-mile system that could replace the gas tax.

https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/state-transportation-commission-reviewing-report-on-pay-by-mile-tax/997659364

Myths about gas tax hikes in Michigan:
https://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdot/MDOT_Chart-GasTaxIncreaseTMTPodcast_668919_7.pdf