Lawmakers Rebuke Snyder–What Does It Mean for His Last Year in Office?

This is just the latest in a series of tense moments between Snyder and the Legislature in recent months.

Jake Neher/WDET

Gov. Rick Snyder got a rare rebuke from the Republican-led Legislature this week. The Legislature overwhelmingly voted to override Snyder’s veto of a bill that would give car buyers a tax break. The bill speeds up a phase-out of the sales tax on the value of a trade-in when someone is buying a new vehicle.

It’s the first time lawmakers have overridden a veto during Snyder’s term, and only the fourth veto override in Michigan in the last 66 years. 

Some onlookers have questioned whether the lame duck governor can advance any agenda in his final year in office. Some have suggested it’s time for Snyder to resign.

What does this say about the governor’s relationship with his fellow Republicans in Lansing as he approaches the end of his tenure?

“Nobody should take this personally, this shouldn’t cause tension, it shouldn’t hurt our working relationships going forward,” insists state House Speaker Tom Leonard (R-DeWitt).

But Michigan Public Radio’s Cheyna Roth points out this is just the latest in a series of tense moments between Snyder and the Legislature in recent months.

Roth speaks with WDET’s Jake Neher about the situation and what it means for lawmaking at the state Capitol in 2018.

Click on the audio player above to hear the full conversation.

Authors

  • Cheyna Roth
    Cheyna has interned with Michigan Radio and freelanced for WKAR public radio in Lansing. She's also done some online freelancing and worked on documentary films.
  • Jake Neher
    Jake Neher is senior producer for Detroit Today and host of MichMash for 101.9 WDET. He previously reported on the Michigan Legislature for the Michigan Public Radio Network.