LANSING – With just a week to spare, the Michigan Legislature finished work Tuesday on a $59.9 billion budget for the 2020 fiscal year that includes $120 million for water infrastructure improvements and treatment of PFAS and other contaminants in water systems across the state.

But the most controversial budget approved Tuesday in both the House of Representatives and Senate — the $5.3 billion transportation budget — puts an additional $400 million in general fund money into roads and bridges. That’s on top of the $325 million in income tax revenues that would have already gone to roads in 2020 under a 2015 road funding deal, which hiked fuel taxes and vehicle registration fees.

The budget now heads to Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who called the budget "a mess," and normally has 14 days to sign it, veto it, or use a line-item veto on selected items. The start of the next fiscal year on Oct. 1 effectively shortens the time the governor has to finalize the budget while avoiding a partial state government shutdown.

"This budget funds vital services while increasing funding for roads, schools and water protection without a massive $2.5 billion tax hike on Michigan’s families," said Sen. Jim Stamas, R-Midland. "We do not agree with the governor on a 45-cent (per gallon) gas tax hike."

More:GOP lawmakers add $400M more to fix state roads, ignoring Whitmer's gas tax hike

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Democrats in the Republican-controlled Senate and House were united in their opposition to the plan, which they said didn't provide a long-term solution to Michigan's crumbling roads.

"Michigan has some of the worst roads in the country. That is abundantly clear to me when I make the long and treacherous drive once a month to Columbus, Ohio. And it's so clear because driving back into Michigan is like driving on rumble strips," said Sen. Adam Hollier, D-Detroit. "And I think there is never a time when we want the Buckeyes to be better than us."

In the House, which passed the budget on a party-line 58-51 vote, Rep. Leslie Love, D-Detroit, said, "Fixing the roads and infrastructure is a matter of life and death. ... I’m sure the people are sick of the Legislature nickel and diming them. It’s like putting Oil of Olay on the Wicked Witch's face."

Whitmer’s plan, which called for a 45-cent per gallon gas tax increase, would have stopped using general fund money to pay for roads, and instead directed those hundreds of millions of dollars annually to other priorities such as education and the environment. Once fully implemented, Whitmer’s plan would have raised $2.5 billion a year through additional fuel taxes and increased road spending by $1.9 billion annually, with essentially all state money spent on roads coming from fuel taxes or vehicle registration fees.

The budget spells bad news for public transit in Michigan, said Clark Harder, executive director of the Michigan Public Transit Association. The Legislature cut capital funding by $10 million as transit agencies try to replace aging fleets, Harder said.

Operating funds were frozen at about $166 million, despite the fact costs for fuel and other essentials are increasing, he said.

Harder said the budget leaves unappropriated about $27 million in funding that can only be spent on public transportation, meaning Michigan will lose the 5-1 federal spending match that goes with it.

Unless it is included in a supplemental appropriation, “that money will go to other states,” he said. Transit agencies “will see some cuts coming, whether it’s going to mean cut some staff or cut some routes.”

The GOP budget does give Whitmer some items she asked for related to roads, however:

$71 million to fix bridges on Miller Road and Rotunda Drive near the Ford Rouge plant in Dearborn

$18 million to fix a bridge, currently closed, on Spring Lake Road over Smith Bayou in Ferrysburg, on Ottawa County

$10 million to fix the North River Street Bridge in Harrison Township

$4 million to fix the Elm Street bridge over the Red Cedar River in Lansing

All four distressed bridges had been highlighted by Whitmer as she toured the state to sell her proposed gas tax increase.

A conference committee removed some controversial items from the transportation budget proposed by the House, such as taking a look at the sale of the Blue Water Bridge from Port Huron to Sarnia.

The budget includes language that could lead to the sale of other state assets. They include:

Soliciting proposals for the sale of two state-owned airports, one in Romeo and one in Linden.

Soliciting proposals for the sale of the state-owned rail line between Grayling and Gaylord. The line is operated by Lake State Railway Co. and is still in use.

Requiring the sale of one of the department’s state-owned airplanes — a Cessna — plus any airplane that logged fewer than 50 flight hours the previous year.

The budget approved Tuesday also bars the state from awarding jobs to contractors who require union subcontractors.

The votes came after negotiations between the Republican leadership in the House and Senate and Whitmer broke down without an agreement. Many of the budgets received virtually no support from Democrats.

"This is unprecedented to have budgets being passed by one party and sent to the governor's desk with almost no negotiations," said Sen. Curtis Hertel, D-East Lansing, noting Whitmer has the option to veto entire budgets or line items. "And I expect her to take strong actions and response."

And in a statement released after the budget votes were done, Whitmer called the financial plans "a mess."

"After taking time off for a two-month summer vacation and a weekend getaway on Mackinac Island, Republicans are playing more shell games with the state budget so they can buy a phony talking point that they’re spending record money on roads. ... The truth is, their transportation budget would only rebuild about 39 miles on the freeway and fix about four bridges in a state with over 1,000 bridges in poor condition.

“Michiganders deserve better. It’s time for Republicans to stop playing games and put a real road funding solution on the table that keeps drivers safe, ensures our roads get fixed with the right materials and mix, and makes road repairs now so costs don’t keep going up over the long run.”

Other budgets approved by the Legislature include:

The General Government budget, which includes funding for the offices of attorney general, secretary of state, the Legislature and the governor's office. Senate Democrats were united in their opposition to the plan, which reduces funding by $1.4 million for a redistricting commission approved by voters in November and shifts control of that budget from the Secretary of State's Office to the Legislature. It also requires Attorney General Dana Nessel to report to the Legislature whenever she decides to sue the federal government.

The Great Lakes, Environment and Energy budget, which was one of the few budgets to receive unanimous support in the Senate. It includes $120 million for water infrastructure improvements and funding to help clean up PFAS and other contaminants in water systems around the state. "Residents in my communities have grave concerns about the quality of our water. What happened in Flint is not an anomaly," said Sen. Mallory McMorrow, D-Royal Oak. "This budget is a step in the right direction, to show that we’re committed to water quality for all of our constituents."

The Higher Education and Community Colleges budgets were passed, mostly along party lines, with increases of 0.9% for higher education and 0.8% for community colleges, despite Whitmer's proposal for a 3% increase for each. "Our institutions of higher learning are falling farther and farther behind. Each year, this Legislature provides paltry, tiny increases for higher ed that fall far short of inflation ," said Sen. Jeff Irwin, D-Ann Arbor.

The Michigan Department of Corrections budget continues to hover around $2 billion — meaning prisons account for about 19 cents of every general fund dollar the state spends. Among the savings in the 2020 budget is $4.7 million in cuts to programs, including the elimination of an online high school equivalency pilot program launched in 2017 and prison kitchen health inspections begun in the current budget year. The budget also calls for giving corrections officers the option of moving from eight-hour shifts to 12-hour shifts once overall staffing levels improve. A controversial line item that could be vetoed by Whitmer would ban jail reimbursements to counties that place limits on their officers’ cooperation or communications with federal officials in connection with inquiries related to immigration status. Rep. Jim Ellison, D-Royal Oak, urged a no vote to ensure that "Michigan remains a welcoming place," but Rep. James Lower, R-Greenville, said that language "allows local law enforcement officers to talk with immigration officials if they so choose."

The budgets now move to Whitmer, who can veto entire budgets or select certain line items to strike. The timing is crucial because if the budgets aren't signed by Oct. 1 when the fiscal year starts, there is a possibility for a government shutdown. Legislative leaders said they expect to transfer the budgets to Whitmer, who has been highly critical of the Legislature for taking a long summer break without finishing the budgets, before the end of the week.

"Now, with less than a week until the budget is due, they’re planning to leave town for break again without having transmitted a single budget to my office," Whitmer said.

While the Legislature technically will be in session on Wednesday and Thursday, no votes are expected to happen so that staff can compile and print all the budgets and send them to Whitmer.

Contact Kathleen Gray: 313-223-4430, kgray99@freepress.com or on Twitter @michpoligal.