LANSING – Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer participated in a series of behind-closed-door meetings with Democratic lawmakers last week to help secure votes she needed to get a new budget and a road funding plan through the House and Senate.

On Thursday night, Democrats who have a majority of the seats in the Senate were struggling to find the required 19 votes to pass a 24% new tax on wholesale marijuana — a piece of new revenue that was central to the plan to direct $1.5-billion more to roads and bridges.

The marijuana tax is expected to create about $420 million in revenue, and House Speaker Matt Hall, R-Richland Township, said state government would shut down without the tax as part of the overall budget deal for the year.

Multiple Senate Democrats — Democrats control 19 of the

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