Discharge vote on DRIC bridge expected

LANSING – When the final three days of the legislative session – at least in the Senate – get underway on Tuesday, the biggest issue to come out of the lame duck may be an attempt to discharge a bill from committee that would authorize Michigan to enter into a public-private partnership with Canada to build the Detroit River International Crossing (DRIC) bridge.

Sen. Ray Basham, D-Taylor, told the News Herald last week that he will try to discharge House Bill 4961 from the Senate Transportation Committee to the full Senate floor. Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop, R-Rochester, has been carrying water for Ambassador Bridge owner and Republican sugar daddy Matty Moroun, and earlier this month Bishop said the bill would not get a vote, reneging on a promise he made earlier this year in May.

The Moroun family has been fighting tooth and nail to keep their monopoly on the aging Ambassador Bridge, the only privately owned border crossing in North America. With that in mind, the Moroun family has contributed nearly $400,000 this year to political action committees (PAC) and candidates controlled by Bishop that helped Senate Republicans, Bishop's unsuccessful attorney general campaign or directly to Senate Republican candidate committees

The DRIC has widespread, bipartisan support, including the last three Michigan Governors, including Democratic Govs. Jim Blanchard and Jennifer Granholm and Republican John Engler, as well as Republican Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson. It even has the support of the Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce, long a GOP supporter.

If the DRIC is not built, no bridge will be built at all, and that could cost 10,000 to 35,000 jobs.

The bill would need a two-thirds vote – 26 votes – to be discharged. The bill was approved by the House in May, and the Senate Transportation committee held hearing on the bill in the late spring and early summer. Based on those hearings, the Chair of the Transportation Committee, Sen. Jud Gilbert, R-Algonac, worked with the various groups to come up with a bill that is acceptable to all parties.

After various versions, he was expecting a vote until Bishop killed it. That is the bill Basham will try to get a vote on.

Campaign cash trumps 10,000 Michigan jobs

The word from Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop, R-Rochester, on Thursday that it is unlikely that the Senate would vote on legislation authorizing the Detroit River International Crossing (DRIC) bridge this year just proves that billionaire benefactor and Ambassador Bridge owner Matty Moroun spent his money wisely.

Instead of 10,000 Michigan jobs and a much needed bridge, Michigan appears to get nothing. Subscription only Gongwer reported on Thursday that Moroun, who has fought tooth and nail to keep his private monopoly on a private border crossing, “recently gave $30,000 to the Senate Republican Campaign Committee,” and they “put $35,000 into the Capitol Affairs political action committee from May through July. That PAC later gave $20,000 to Mr. Bishop's attorney general campaign fund.”

The news came just about a week after the Chair of the Transportation Committee, Sen. Jud Gilbert, R-Algonac, said he had just come out with a new draft of House Bill 4961 that would authorize Michigan to enter into a public-private partnership with Canada to build the bridge and take advantage of Canada agreeing to fund Michigan’s share of the bridge. Gilbert said back in June that he was going to slow-walk the bill, not kill it. This announcement came as a surprise to the many DRIC supporters, as well as to Gilbert.

One of the main reasons offered for trying to kill it was ridiculous. According to Gongwer, “Gilbert said in recent days there had been increasing discussion among Senate Republicans about the awkwardness of an incoming governor inheriting responsibility for implementing a massive project he did not support.”

The DRIC study began in 2000 under former Republican Gov. John Engler when it was clear we needed to replace the aging Ambassador Bridger and increase border capacity and security. The DRIC bridge has widespread support from a diverse coalition. In fact, the only people that seem to really oppose it are Senate Republicans and the Moroun family.

The fact is the bridge had the support of the last three Michigan Governors, including Democratic Govs. Jim Blanchard and Jennifer Granholm and Republican Engler, as well as Republican Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson.

Even some groups that normally support Republicans support the DRIC bridge. According to Gongwer, “Sarah Hubbard of the Detroit Regional Chamber, a major proponent of the DRIC, said stakeholders in the issue have been working "around the clock" to address concerns and help Mr. Gilbert put together the new version of the bill.”

She said the DRIC is far from dead this session, and they will continue to work to get at least an up or down vote, at least in the lame duck session in December. If nothing else, there will be a vote on a motion to discharge the bill from the Transportation Committee.

This is far too important to Michigan and Canada’s economy to let it be killed by Moroun’s money.

DRIC bridge and 10,000 Michigan jobs dead until at least the Lame Duck session

The Chair of the Senate Transportation Committee said he was going to slow walk any attempt to build the much-needed planned Detroit River International Crossing (DRIC) bridge over the Detroit River between Canada and Windsor, and he confirmed that Tuesday with a speech on the Senate floor.

The Transportation Committee has been holding hearings on House Bill 4961 that would authorize Michigan to enter into a public-private partnership with Canada to build the bridge, but Senate Republicans – the only Republicans in the state – are against the bridge, and they have fought any attempt to build the bridge in order to help Republican benefactor Matty Moroun, the owner of the Ambassador Bridge, keep his monopoly.

Chair of the Transportation Committee, Sen. Jud Gilbert, R-Algonac, said the committee held six hearing on the DRIC totaling 10 hours of testimony, as well as testimony in 2006. He said despite four years of lead time, he was not going to be rushed. He complained that the committee did not get HB 4961 until last May, despite the fact that it had been introduced in May 2009 in the House.

“For years, the House worked on the proposal, and we were not privy to how or why certain changes were made to the bill,” he said. “But now after a year’s work by the House, the Senate is expected to ram this measure through in a matter of weeks.”

It makes you wonder if he was living in a cave since 2006, or why he is against working with his counterparts in the House.

He also questioned Canada’s offer to pick up Michigan’s $550 million share of the project.

“In addition, there are questions on how Canada’s financial contribution to a bridge project would work,” Gilbert said. “Would it be a gift; A loan; What are the ramifications; If it is a loan, would that trigger the constitutional requirements of a two-thirds vote by the Legislature?”

Gilbert said the committee will continue to sort through the details to make an informed decision, but he will not be rushed. However, he has pledged to work with colleagues on both sides of the aisle, as well as with the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and all interested parties.

That means it will not get done this summer, and it will have to be taken up in the Lame Duck session in November.

“My top priority throughout all of this is to protect the Michigan taxpayer,” he said. “I will not support any legislation on DRIC from this body that will leave the taxpayer on the hook for one single dime.”

Sen. Ray Basham, the Minority Vice-Chair of the Transportation Committee, said he appreciated Gilbert’s fair handling of the hearings and attempt to get the facts, but he set the record straight on the Canadian offer.

“I especially appreciated the testimony of transport minister John Baird who came before our committee a week ago,” he said. “But I do remember John Baird saying that this was not a loan. This was Canada putting up the money that Michigan would have put up had it been able to and then Canada getting its money back through tolls.”

Basham also said this was not a new concept, and the U.S. did the same thing for Canada in 1938 with the Blue Water Bridge.

“Also Canada has been our partner, even in the war in Afghanistan, and suffered losses also,” Basham said. “They have also been our partner in transportation and commerce. They are our partner in many things and will continue to be.”

Senate Republicans say state does not need second span across the Detroit River to Canada

Despite widespread and bipartisan support for building the Detroit River International Crossing (DRIC) bridge over the Detroit river between Canada and Windsor, it appears Senate Republicans will be the stumbling block.

The Senate Transportation Committee took testimony on House Bill 4961 Wednesday that would authorize Michigan to enter into a public-private partnership with Canada and a private sector developer/financier to build the DRIC bridge, but before any testimony was taken, the Committee chair, Sen. Jud Gilbert, R-Algonac, made it seem he was just going through the motions, and he does not think the state needs a second crossing. He should tell that to Ambassador Bridge owner and Republican benefactor Matty Moroun who is already building a second span next to the Ambassador Bridge despite not having a single permit.

“There is a lot of talk, especially in the newspapers, that this needs to get done quickly,” Gilbert said. “I am all for doing things quickly, but I am not going to risk a $5 million debt.”

Sen. Ray Basham, D-Taylor, the Minority Vive-Chair of the Committee and a strong supporter of DRIC – along with former Governors Jim Blanchard and Republican John Engler, Republican Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson, the Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Republican-controlled Ohio Senate – took exception to Gilbert’s claim that traffic does not support a second span.

“I am not an expert, but I have not heard one expert in this state say the traffic study done is wrong,” Basham said. “I hate to think we plan the future economy for my grandchildren on what’s happening today.”

Not a single Republican in the House voted for HB 4961, and one reason, besides going to bat for Moroun, is the claim that it takes away legislative oversight. Rep. Paul Opsommer, R-DeWitt, is one of the biggest critics of DRIC, as well one of the most conservative members in the House. He testified to that claim of a lack of oversight, but Basham debunked that claim.

“It sound like conspiracy theory; we always have control,” Basham said. “The Legislature can do lots of things; they can even repeal bills.”

Rep. Lee Gonzales, D-Flint), sponsored HB 4961, and he said a public-private partnership was the best way to attract money for needed infrastructure improvements, and at the same time the legislation was structured to protect the state from incurring debt.

“It’s simple: if private investors don’t think there is a need for another bridge, they won’t invest,” he said.

The committee did not take a vote on the bill, and more testimony is expected.

Garcia hammered for displaying independence

LANSING – Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop, R-Rochester, sent a clear message to Sen. Valde Garica, R-Howell, for daring to display some independence, but he will have to wait until next week when Garcia comes back from a two-week stint serving in the Michigan National Guard.

Garcia, the chair of the State Police and Military Affairs Appropriations Sub-Committee, criticized Senate leadership a few weeks ago for not taking up that State Police Budget bill, Senate Bill 253, before he left for a two-week Michigan National Guard obligation, and he also had a plan to save the 100 state trooper jobs. He received a sharp rebuke from Bishop’s mouthpiece for doing so.

He received an even more stinging penalty from Bishop today when he was taken off the Appropriations Committee and replaced with Sen. Jud Gilbert, R-Algonac. It was unclear if this is just a temporary move or permanent, or who will serve as chairs of the sub-committees Garcia chairs.

Garcia is an experienced lawmaker, and he was assigned to the Appropriations Committee back in 2003. He also serves as the chair of the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Appropriations Sub-Committee. Sub-committee chairs set the spending budget for that state department.