BY RICK PLUTA
Michigan Public Radio Network
There's a tentative budget deal between Governor Rick Snyder and the Legislature's Republican leaders. It puts more money into savings, schools, and roads. It also delays decisions on some of the governor's priorities.
A budget windfall will allow the state to sock away more in savings, provide a boost to schools, and come up with enough money to qualify for federal matching funds to pay for some road repairs.
"However, that doesn't solve the full problem. We still need to find a solution to the full problem." Bolger said.
That's House Speaker Jase Bolger, talking about the unresolved question of how to come up with an additional 1.2 billion dollars for roads. That's especially difficult with a Legislature that's been opposed to higher gas taxes and registration fees.
Despite the governor's support for it, there's also a continued impasse on expanding the Medicaid program, mostly with money from the federal Affordable Care Act.
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