House appropriations subcommittee hears wide-ranging requests for fire, ambulance, road and bridge funding

The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor and Economic Opportunity heard a series of legislative-directed spending requests on June 11, 2025, from local officials seeking state funds for public-safety vehicles, road repairs and bridge work. Testimony covered requests ranging from a $125,000 carport for patrol cars to multimillion-dollar road and bridge projects.

Why it matters: Representatives and local officials described aging equipment, thin local tax bases and long vendor lead times that they said create public-safety and access risks for rural and small-town Michigan. Several presenters asked the committee for partial state matching money to move projects into procurement or construction; the committee accepted testimony and did not take formal votes on the requests during the hearing.

Top requests and details

- Southwest Shiawassee Emergency Services Authority (Southwest Shiawassee): Representative Bagole sought $1,200,000 to buy two fully equipped ambulances to serve roughly 180 square miles and 22,605 residents and to support an expected roughly 2,000 additional patient transports under a new partnership with Memorial Healthcare. Chief Trent Atkins said the vehicles are “vital lifelines” and that equipment costs (for example, cardiac monitors and cots) have risen sharply since 2020.

- City of Ishpeming: Representative Bonac presented a $900,000 request to replace a 20-year-old frontline pumper. Ishpeming leaders said the truck would be fully equipped, with a 1,500-gallon pump engine and a 1,000-gallon tank; the department responds to structure and technical-rescue calls in severe winter conditions.

- Lake City (M‑66 / M‑55 corridor): Representative Borton asked for $10,000,000 to rebuild roughly a four-mile stretch of state highway through the city, citing 12,000 vehicles per day and recurring subsurface concrete failure. The mayor described pedestrian and downtown safety needs, stormwater improvements to protect Lake Missaukee, and coordination with MDOT on possible TAP pedestrian funding.

- East Clarkston Road (Oakland County): Representative Steele and Orion Township Supervisor Chris Barnett requested $3,000,000 in directed funding toward a roughly $6,000,000 project to pave and rebuild an East–West corridor currently carrying about 4,000 vehicles per day. Barnett and others said local special assessments are not practical because most traffic is through-traffic; they also noted stormwater treatment work to protect Paint Creek and downstream waters.

- City of Davidson (roads and water): Representative Martin’s office presented a $4,400,000 request to pay for street reconstruction coordinated with an $11.7 million USDA Rural Development loan for water and sewer work. City manager Andrea Schroeder said combining the work now saves future repair costs that would otherwise be “sunk” if streets are only patched and later fully rebuilt.

- Odessa Township (fire station): Representative Johnson presented a $2,000,000 request toward a new fire station; township officials said total project costs are currently estimated at $5–9 million, that land has been donated, and that two millages already passed to cover design and operations. Treasurer Sharon Rohrabacher said the $2,000,000 would leverage local millages and bonding.

- Flat Rock Fire Department (engine): Representative Thompson and Chief Derek Wilson requested $1,000,000 to replace a frontline engine they said is 35 years old and well past recommended service life. Chief Wilson said the new apparatus would consolidate multiple roles (engine, heavy rescue and medical first-responder capability) and reduce the number of separate vehicles the department needs to maintain.

- Charlevoix Township (aerial platform): Representative Fairbairn requested $1,000,000 to cover about 45 percent of an anticipated $2.25 million cost for a new aerial platform truck. Presenters said the existing truck is older than 30 years, is frequently in for costly repairs and that current wait time for a new aerial apparatus is three to four years.

- Ionia County bridges: Representative Gina Johnson’s office sought $2,100,000 to support repairs to dozens of local bridges; presenters said about 54 of 67 county bridges need repair work ranging from waterproofing and deck overlays to girder and riprap work. Officials stressed that timely repairs prevent weight restrictions and full closures that force long detours for emergency vehicles and school buses.

- Kalkaska County roads: Representative Roulette presented a $5,000,000 request to help the county catch up on road maintenance and to address seasonal roads and safety concerns as development expands from neighboring counties.

- Maple Rapids (bridge): Representative Kelly requested $4,800,000 to replace a three-span concrete bridge constructed in 1980; presenters said the bridge has been weight-restricted and that the replacement would restore local and regional connectivity for residents, school buses and deliveries.

- Saginaw County Road Commission (salt-barn brine containment): The road commission asked for approximately $1,100,000 to bring brine tanks and salt-storage infrastructure into compliance and to add containment/linings at existing salt barns to protect equipment and meet environmental standards.

- Smaller equipment and facility requests: The committee also heard requests for targeted equipment and small capital items: Utica Police Department asked for $250,000 for tasers (upgrading to models with multiple cycles), rifle-rated ballistic panels, a drone, a field narcotics scanner and a 3‑D traffic-scene scanner; Tri‑Township Fire Department asked for $220,000 for an ATV, trailer, skid unit and storage; City of Springfield requested $125,000 for a carport to protect sheriff‑deputy patrol cars; Breckenridge and other small communities requested funds for new or replacement stations (Breckenridge asked for about $1,000,000 toward a $3,000,000 project); and additional local bridge and road repairs were described for Calhoun and Antrim counties.

What the committee did and did not do

Committee members took testimony in rapid‑fire succession and asked clarifying questions on costs, local matches, grant history and timelines. No formal votes or appropriations were taken at the hearing; the chair concluded by reading submitted comment cards and adjourning the session.

Context and next steps

Presenters repeatedly cited constrained local tax bases, long vendor lead times (particularly for fire apparatus), rising equipment and maintenance costs, and state grant or loan program competition (for example, MDOT bridge programs, DWRSF and USDA Rural Development loans). Several presenters said partial state matching funds would allow projects to move into procurement or construction and to leverage local millages, donations or bonds. The committee has not scheduled votes on any of the requests during the hearing.

Ending

Committee members thanked witnesses and said they would continue to gather information. No appropriations or formal committee directives were announced at the conclusion of the session.