Details begin to emerge for 2023 Michigan’s budget
(The Center Square) – Lawmakers are cobbling together a nearly $74 billion budget for fiscal year 2023 to send to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
The GOP-dominated Senate says it will provide $2 billion in tax relief in the record spending budget, but Michiganders still don’t know what kind of tax breaks they’ll get as the state’s nearly 10 million population fights 40-year high record inflation and soaring gas prices.
However, in an election year, politicians on both sides promise spending packages to win votes.
On Friday, Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, R-Clarklake, retweeted a GOP account saying: “Don’t let any politician tell you they can’t do anything about record-high prices – they can and should lower your taxes! Despite @GovWhitmer repeatedly vetoing our tax cut bills, we won’t give up. This week we set aside $2 BILLION in our budget plan to send back to YOU.”
On Thursday, seven Democratic state attorneys general including Dana Nessel asked Pres. Joe Biden to cancel all $1.7 trillion in student loan debt.
The GOP 2023 plan aims to provide
$17.9 billion in K-12 education, an increase of $938 million from the current budget.Nearly $6.8 billion for a Department of Transportation budget, including a one-time investment of $750 million for local roads.$50 million for a blight elimination program statewide.$40 million for the Pure Michigan tourism campaign.
Different parties want to spend the money on separate programs. Whitmer wants the following programs, which the Senate opposes.
$230 million in one-time funds for medical education, health sciences, and electric vehicle (EV) teaching, training, and development.$200 million for regional economic development.$70 million in state infrastructure.$50 million of EV rebates.$10 million for at-home charging EV rebates.$10 million to electrify the state’s fleet.$10 million to create an Office of Rural Development for workforce, housing, and internet access help.$5 million to create a new Michigan Infrastructure Office.$4 million to create Michigan’s Office of Future mobility, which is somehow related to EVs.
In total, Whitmer’s budget aims to spend up to $374 million on EVs despite only 13,545 registered in the state, compared to 5.8 million internal combustion engine vehicles and 105,651 hybrid vehicles.
Other spending includes $26 million for city village, and township revenue sharing, while $26 million would flow to county revenue sharing.
Whitmer and the Senate GOP appear to agree on spending $40 million on the Michigan Reconnect Program and $55 million for the Going Pro program.
Lawmakers face a dilemma: whether to spend one-time federal funds on temporary programs requiring a future tax hike to sustain, or spend one-time money on one-time programs.
Other programs suggest expanding the size of the government.
For example, Whitmer wants to spend $1 million on hiring 10 full-time employees to service seven new mobile offices for the Secretary of State. The new offices, said Whitmer, would serve vulnerable populations in congregate-care facilities and rural areas. The Senate opposes the spending.
The bills moved to the House, where Whitmer and lawmakers will likely negotiate final details.
The GOP Health and Human Services budget, Senate Bill 828, aims to restrict taxpayer funds to abortion providers. Whitmer said she’ll “fight like hell” to protect abortion access. At the same time, the GOP budget seeks to spend $750,000 to defend the constitutionality of Michigan’s 1931 abortion ban that could be triggered if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe. V. Wade.
Whitmer has asked the state Supreme Court to strike the ban and Nessel has sworn not to enforce the law.
Disclaimer: This content is distributed by The Center Square
