Road Funding, Pure Michigan Left Out Of Budget Solution

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While the state budget impasse is about half-resolved with lawmakers passing supplemental budget bills restoring $573 million dollars cut from the current fiscal year’s budget by line item vetoes, the work isn’t yet done. They and the governor say they’ll continue working on a road funding solution next year, and the future of the popular Pure Michigan tourism campaign remains in limbo. The program’s funding was eliminated, and House Speaker Lee Chatfield would like to find a way to keep Pure Michigan going.

“I’m looking forward to being at the table with the governor and the (Senate) majority leader and ensuring that if it’s restored, it’s done in a proper and wise way,” Chatfield told reporters at the Capitol. “But I can speak for my district that it’s been a benefit for northern Michigan.”

Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey isn’t opposed to Pure Michigan, but has said he wants the tourism industry to pay for it, not taxpayers. The Mackinac Center for Public Policy released data earlier this fall disputing claims that every dollar spent on tourism advertising results in seven-dollars in revenue for the state and calling for Pure Michigan to either be eliminated or funded by the industry.