Editor's note: This story was produced for the ear and designed to be heard. If you're able, WCMU encourages you to listen to the audio version of this story by clicking the LISTEN button above. This transcript was edited for clarity and length.
Tina Sawyer: Last month, the State House, in an unprecedented move, clawed back $645 million in allocated spending that was not distributed by the executive. Now, one line item caught up in that budget cut was $1.6 million Bay City was planning on using for infrastructure.
To explain all this, I'm joined here by WCMU's AJ Jones. AJ, what was Bay City going to do with this $1.6 million?
AJ Jones: Well, Bay City secured $1.6 million in reimbursement for their portion of the spending on a repair project for the Lafayette Bridge. That project ends next year.
Funding is now on hold after a preliminary injunction from the State Court of Claims ruled the state can't spend any of it. The next hearing in a court case is on February 27th.
This is a problem for Bay City because, as Mayor Christopher Gerard explained to me, the city was already allocating that money to be spent on infrastructure projects. And now without it, they might have to start maneuvering other money in the budget. Gerard said there's 5 million from a lease agreement with the Bay City Bridge Partners, who we'll talk about shortly. They can maybe pull that 5 million forward potentially and fill some of the gaps. But as for right now, there's a new $1.6 million gap in the city budget.
TS: Okay, I see. Well, is there any? any chance that this funding could potentially be restored?
AJ: Well, Matt Hall, the GOP State House leader, said that he was open to negotiation with the Dems Senate leadership to restore some of the funds earlier this month. Whether or not that will happen or what form it'll take is still very much up in the air. Timmy Beeson is the GOP State House representative who represents much of Bay County and Bay City proper.
He voted to freeze the funding but has since said in a statement that he would, and I'm quoting him, soon be “introducing a legislative spending request for every single dollar of the original 1.6 million that was to go to the Bay City Bridge. I went to Lansing to fight for Bay County and will continue to do so.”
Beeson basically is saying the funding isn't gone. It just needs reallocation in the next budget negotiation.
TS: Okay. Well, AJ, for those who might not be familiar, there's two privately run toll bridges in the city, right? And so, we've been seeing a lot of outrage about them from people who live and work in that area. What's happening there?
AJ: So, there's 4 bridges in the city. One is free. That's the Veterans Memorial Bridge. Two are toll operated. It's A Liberty and Independence Bridge. And then there's the aforementioned Lafayette Bridge, which like I said, is under construction until 2027. So, the two toll bridges are run by the Bay City Bridge Partners. That is a company that's operated by United Bridge Partners, a larger parent company. The company has invested over $150 million into renovations on these bridges. They are in a lease agreement with the city. In December, the Bridge Partners ended a pricing tier option that allowed people outside of Bay City proper to cross for $15 per month. Now, drivers have to pay $2 per crossing if they have a transponder. It's more if they don't have a transponder. I spoke to Margaret Bird, an 83-year-old retiree from Monitor Township. Despite living just outside of Bay City, she is impacted by the change.
Margaret Bird: It is what it is, and we have to live with it. We don't have any option at this point, but it has made life very miserable for people who need to be able to get back and forth across the river more easily.
AJ: In addition, I spoke to residents, including the mayor, who told me they have been charged in error and have struggled to get into contact with the Bridge Partners in a timely manner. There's a lot of logistical issues going on that have been reported with regard to the toll bridges.
TS: What's the city doing about the bridge partners, getting rid of the $15 per month pass?
AJ: So, the city is in contact with lawyers about next options. Mayor Gerard says the city and the Bay City Bridge Partners aren't communicating frequently. They're only communicating via lawyers. It's the mayor's position that the contract agreement would have kept the $15 per month option, and the Bay City Bridge Partners are just kind of backing out of it after making the option publicly available to people that don't live in the city. Mayor Gerard said, though, that he hopes the company will reconsider before going to potential arbitration.
Christopher Girard: We're neighbors and we know, we see each other. We may not live in the exact same city proper, but it does impact the city as a whole.
AJ: And the Bay City Bridge Partners did not respond to a request for comment.
TS: AJ, thank you so much for your reporting on this.
AJ: Thank you.
TS: That was my conversation with WCMU reporter AJ Jones.
