State budget brings new road funding, ladder truck money for Sterling Heights, Senator says

State Senator Michael Webber (9th District) told the Sterling Heights City Council that the recently enacted state budget includes new recurring road funding for local governments and other line items that will benefit Sterling Heights.

"Sterling Heights will receive about a 31% increase in local road funding from the state for a total of over $21,000,000 annually," Webber said, describing the roads plan and an added local bridge program. He said the bipartisan package will put every penny of the gas‑tax change back into fixing local infrastructure and includes roughly $100 million annually for local bridge repairs.

Webber also said the city had secured a project request for a ladder truck and referenced a $2.1 million figure tied to that apparatus. He cited $95 million in state funding for a Public Safety Trust Fund, noting Sterling Heights is tentatively slated to receive about $200,000 from that account to support recruitment, training and equipment.

The senator flagged a decrease in revenue sharing tied to the gas‑tax changes and said he and colleagues are reintroducing revenue‑sharing trust fund legislation to address that shortfall.

Webber additionally described an independent audit he requested of the state’s office of recipient rights and said the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services audit produced several material findings related to care at state psychiatric hospitals; he said he is working with colleagues to respond.

Councilmembers thanked the senator for the update. No council action was required at the meeting on the budget topics; staff said they will continue to coordinate on projects and grants as funding details are finalized.