State Rep. Timmy Beson this week submitted a $1.6 million state funding request to support Bay City’s Lafayette Bridge project, taking the first step under a new, more transparent process for projects funded with taxpayer dollars.

Beson’s request seeks funding for the full amount originally approved for the project, which was later paused during a broad review of work projects as part of the House Appropriations Committee’s efforts to increase transparency and accountability in state Department spending.

“Pausing work projects was about fixing a broken system, not abandoning good projects,” said Beson (R-Bay City). “I am fighting to make sure this project receives the consideration it deserves and the funding it needs to move forward.”

The pause occurred after the State Budget Office submitted a list of work projects that included hundreds of millions of dollars in unspent funds from prior budgets. Many of those projects had seen little to no progress despite being approved more than a year earlier. House Republicans chose to reset the process so each project could be reviewed individually instead of being rolled forward automatically.

“The funding is not gone,” said Beson. “It returns to the general fund and can be reinstated through the budget process. I am fighting to make sure the Bay City Bridge is prioritized and that taxpayer dollars are used effectively and transparently.”