By Ken Coleman, Michigan Advance
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Monday signed the bipartisan $57.4 billion state general government budget for Fiscal Year 2024.
The second-term Democrat made the case that the fiscal blueprint will “grow the economy, lower costs, deliver on kitchen-table issues, and help anyone “Make it in Michigan.”
“The Make it in Michigan budget will lower costs, deliver on the issues that make a real difference in people’s lives, and help anyone ‘make it’ in Michigan,” said Whitmer during a press event at the Wyandotte Fire Station.
“The budget protects public safety and improves access to health care, ensuring people feel safe in their neighborhood and have access to quality, affordable care that meets their needs. It supports our service members and veterans, connecting them and their families with the resources they deserve, and will build up all kinds of infrastructure so every family has safe roads, clean water, and affordable housing. Finally, it continues powering our economic development efforts to create tens of thousands of good-paying jobs, and bring manufacturing and supply chains home to Michigan.”
The budget was drafted by the first Democratic-majority in the state Legislature in roughly 40 years and provides funding for programming in health care, infrastructure, state police and schools, among other areas.
Earlier this month, Whitmer signed the $24.3 billion School Aid budget in Suttons Bay. Combined, the FY 2024 budget is $82 billion.
The next fiscal year begins Oct. 1.
The budget deposits $200 million into the Budget Stabilization Fund, or rainy day fund, bringing the balance to nearly $2 billion by the end of FY24, an all-time high, Whitmer noted.
State Sen. Sarah Anthony (D-Lansing), who serves as Appropriations Committee chair, said the budget attracted GOP votes as well as votes from her party.
“We took the time to focus on issues in every corner of the state, while working alongside our Republican colleagues and independents across the state who are tired of partisan politics and instead wanting to make sure that we got this right,” Anthony said.
State Rep. Angela Witwer (D-Delta), who chairs the House Appropriations committee, called it a “historic bill signing.”
However, House Minority Leader Matt Hall (R-Richland Twp.), threw shade at the budget.
He criticized Democrats for “unsustainably spending more money than ever before.
“Michiganders want their hard-earned tax dollars invested to fix local roads, keep our neighborhoods and schools safe, and provide other essential public services, but Democrats are hiking taxes to go on a ridiculous spending spree while setting aside the people’s most urgent needs,” Hall said. “Democrats chose the partisan path to pick winners and losers — rewarding their political allies with pork projects and unsustainable programs. Meanwhile, our local roads and bridges will continue to crumble, our understaffed local police departments will struggle to protect our communities, and our students will keep falling behind.Michigan taxpayers will owe more to state coffers to pay for all the Democrats’ pork and pipe-dream programs.”
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