The Berrien County Board of Commissioners is still digesting the details of the new state budget, just signed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer this week.
The board on Thursday heard from Lansing liaison Michael Krombeen of Midwest Strategy Group, who said he’s been pouring over pages of information for several days. Krombeen said the biggest winner in the budget is roads, and it’s not just because of that 24% marijuana tax lawmakers are throwing at them.
“The legislature did a sales tax for gas tax swap off of gasoline so that that is a revenue neutral to the consumer, but that all of the taxes that you pay at the pump will go to roads as opposed to the sales tax on gasoline, which goes to locals and to schools,” Krombeen said.
Commissioners noted the Berrien County Road Department still doesn’t know when the extra money will start to arrive.
Krombeen said along with the big-ticket items, Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund grants were also approved for several parks projects in the county.
“Riverfront Park in Buchanan, Lincoln Township Beach improvements, Boyle Lake boating access improvement, and Marquette Greenway Development, I believe, are the four projects that are located in Berrien County. Those also passed alongside the budget.”
Krombeen said cities, townships, and villages had a slight revenue sharing cut in the budget, but that will be partially offset by extra money they receive for other priorities. That includes public safety as he noted Berrien County will get about $147,000 more in public safety funds.
Krombeen told commissioners to assume that extra money will be a one-time payment until the Legislature approves a new public safety trust fund.
