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Snyder: Voter 'Anger' Big Reason For Fall Of Proposal 1

LANSING (WWJ/AP) -- Michigan voters overwhelmingly defeated Proposal 1, a tax increase that would have pumped more than $1 billion a year into state roads.

Losing out on what he called a great opportunity to move Michigan forward, Governor Rick Snyder said that offering Proposal 1 to voters to fund badly needed road repairs would be better than doing nothing.

"People have their own opinions. I think it was a good campaign and it was well structured," "I think we got a good response from people. It's a challenge when you're talking about doing a tax increase."

Snyder, who traveled across the state to explain the plan and urge its passage, conceded that it was dead shortly after all polls closed.

"No one gets excited for a tax increase, but if you look at the compelling need for safer roads in Michigan and the need to have better roads in our state, everyone has acknowledged that for how many years," Snyder said.

The constitutional amendment was placed on the ballot by the Republican-led Legislature and had backing from the GOP governor, Democrats and a broad coalition of business, labor and government groups.

"We'll be in discussions with the leaders of both chambers and get their take and their perspective on what would be the best steps from their perspective and so what we can find some common ground on," Snyder said.

But voters rejected the wide-ranging plan. It would have eliminated the sales tax on fuel so all taxes at the pump could go to transportation, restructured and doubled fuel taxes, and hiked vehicle registration fees to boost the state's $3.7 billion transportation budget to $5 billion, an increase of a third.

Snyder is vowing to start discussions with the leaders of both chambers in the very near future.

 

TM and © Copyright 2015 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2015 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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