LANSING – The governor and legislative leaders agreed over the weekend to make finishing the 2020 budget their first priority, even if it means a road funding deal is not reached before Oct. 1.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, had said repeatedly she would not sign a budget that did not include a realistic plan that includes close to $2 billion in extra spending for roads, but Monday's announcement points to a significant change in that position.

The state faces a partial budget shutdown if a budget for the coming year is not signed into law by Oct. 1.

On Friday, Republican legislative leaders said they planned to start finalizing the budget without a plan to raise significant new money for roads.

They had rejected Whitmer's plan to increase gas taxes by 45 cents a gallon and Whitmer said they had not offered a realistic counterproposal that did not put teacher pension funds at risk as a way of increasing transportation revenues.

After weekend talks, Whitmer and the legislative leaders have instead agreed to work together on setting budget targets, with or without a road funding deal, the parties announced Monday in a joint release.

More:Michigan is inching closer to partial government shutdown. Here's why.

More:Whitmer calls on Republican lawmakers to reveal their plan for fixing Michigan roads

“The people of Michigan deserve leadership in Lansing that will work to continue providing them with services they depend on every day," said Whitmer, Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, R-Clarklake, and House Speaker Lee Chatfield, R-Levering.

"We’ve agreed that the best course of action is to immediately begin target-setting with legislative and executive leadership to get a budget passed by Oct. 1.

"We have all agreed to continue conversations about road funding in a meaningful way and table all associated issues for the time being. Right now, our No. 1 priority is getting a budget passed. We look forward to rolling up our sleeves and negotiating on behalf of the people of Michigan."

Whitmer canceled a Lansing news conference she had scheduled for Monday morning before her weekend talks with legislative leaders.

Whitmer's agreement to take road funding off the front burner complicates other aspects of her budget plan. By raising $2.5 billion more for transportation, her proposed gas tax hike would have allowed the governor to take $600 million in general fund spending now targeted for roads and redirect it toward other priorities such as education and the environment.

Whitmer said “some legislators” in the GOP-controlled Legislature want a shutdown of state government for “political reasons” and are unwilling to get serious about addressing the road funding problem. Republicans based many of their counterproposals on ending the sales tax on fuel and passing an equivalent per-gallon gasoline tax increase, which would boost roads but reduce revenue for schools and municipalities.

“I don’t view a shutdown as a game. I don’t view it as something that is just a leverage point. I view it as something that’s very serious that would have ramifications for our state,” Whitmer said after speaking to the Grand Rapids Economic Club. “That’s why, as the adult in the room, I said it’s time to focus on getting a good budget done. One way or another, we’re going to fix the roads in Michigan.”

But Republicans said Whitmer was the only one talking about a shutdown.

“Let’s be clear about who was the ‘adult in the room’ and who was heading toward a shutdown." said Rep. Jason Sheppard, R-Temperance. "It was not the Legislature who asked departments last month to begin planning for a shutdown, it was the governor’s office."

A group representing state road contractors expressed disappointment with the announcement.

“While we understand the constitutional requirement to pass the state budget by Oct. 1, we are deeply disappointed and frustrated that our state’s elected leaders will again fail to approve a comprehensive solution to fix Michigan’s crumbling roads as part of the spending plan, all while Michigan’s roads continue to get worse and the cost continues to rise," said Mike Nystrom, vice president of the Michigan Infrastructure and Transportation Association.

House Minority Leader Christine Greig, D-Farmington Hills, who late in August panned Whitmer's 45-cent gas tax proposal as extreme and essentially dead, issued a statement that said averting a shutdown is a win, but a budget without a long-term solution to the underfunding of schools and infrastructure "is not the solution we need."

Greig called on the governor to launch a bipartisan task force "to find real, long-term road funding solutions immediately."

But at least one Democratic lawmaker said Monday she is pleased with the change in direction.

“I am heartened to hear that agreements have been reached to prevent a government shutdown, as my district, community and schools rely heavily on the state meeting its constitutional obligation by Oct. 1," said .Rep. Sherry Gay-Dagnogo, D-Detroit.

"Many of our communities suffer from the impacts of poverty, insufficient school funding, blight, inadequate public transportation options, and lack of workforce development opportunities. With the roads conversation temporarily pulled back, I am hopeful the budget put forward will address these issues and encompass the priorities critical to advancing the quality of life for Detroiters.”

Senate Minority Leader Jim Ananich, D-Flint, said it is "incredibly important" that lawmakers return to the road funding negotiating table the moment the budget is finalized.

"The roads problem isn’t going away; it’s only going to get worse," Ananich said.

A budget office spokesman said Friday that state parks and Secretary of State branch offices could be the first to close if a budget agreement is not reached by the deadline.

Contact Paul Egan: 517-372-8660 or pegan@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @paulegan4. Read more on Michigan politics and sign up for our elections newsletter. The Associated Press contributed to this report.