By Rick Pluta, Michigan Public Radio Network
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wkar/local-wkar-970957.mp3
LANSING, MI –
Governor Rick Snyder says wrapping up the budget early will allow his administration and the Legislature to turn their attention to other issues. As we hear from Michigan Public Radio's Rick Pluta, the governor has a list of things he'd like to get done before July 1.
AUDIO:
The governor signed a tax overhaul this week and the Legislature sent him a budget four months ahead of the constitutional deadline of October 1. Those were two goals he set early in his administration and he has also sent two special messages to the Legislature as part of an agenda he'd like wrapped up before his first 180 days in office are up.
"Education reform, government reform and the new international trade crossing - I view all those as high priorities and I'd like to see as much get done by July 1 as possible," he says.
The governor faces resistance from some his fellow Republicans on the new international bridge between Detroit and Windsor-Ontario. That may require him to build some alliances with Democrats that were not so necessary during the battles over the budget and taxes.