Michigan Lawmakers Approve Temporary Funding to Avert Shutdown
In a last-minute decision, Michigan legislators have agreed to a temporary funding plan, ensuring the state government remains operational while budget negotiations continue. This move comes as the previous fiscal plan expired at midnight, leaving little time to spare.
The approved extension is crucial to preventing a partial government shutdown, where non-essential services would cease.
State law mandates a balanced budget by October 1, but officials did not clarify how they intend to legally continue funding without violating constitutional requirements. Last week, a preliminary budget deal was announced by Governor Gretchen Whitmer and legislative leaders, but it wasn’t finalized in time.
Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids) reassured the public early Wednesday morning that the agreement remains intact, yet the specifics are still in progress. She stated, “I think the important thing to remember is that we were able to come to an agreement even in a time like this with divided government. We will be keeping government services open. The people of Michigan will still be able to get what they need from their government for the next week despite this minor delay.”
This temporary funding measure allocates approximately $1.5 billion for state departments, though it notably excludes K-12 education, which started its fiscal year in July without confirmed funding.
Representative Bryan Posthumus (R-Rockford) expressed disappointment over the delay, stating, “It wasn’t the ideal situation. Would it have been better if we’d passed it on July 1? 100%. I wish we had. That’s something that we as a government, we need to be better at.”
Governor Whitmer expressed her readiness to sign off on the finalized budget, acknowledging the bipartisan efforts involved. “As drafting continues, I’m grateful to legislators on both sides of the aisle for their work and I am ready to conduct a final legal review and sign it into law after they send me the budget,” she noted.
Looking ahead, the budget process will include Senate Appropriations hearings on earmark spending requests, as per a resolution recently passed. Additionally, there may be votes on road funding legislation, which could involve raising taxes on marijuana sales, a proposal facing some opposition.
Despite the ongoing negotiations, Brinks highlighted the extensive work yet to be completed. Similarly, State Representative Jim DeSana (R-Carleton) criticized the drawn-out process, saying, “You could even say it’s broken and that representative government is really not working for the people right now.”
Following the early morning decision, Governor Whitmer’s office confirmed she had signed the continuation measure, ensuring continuous government operation until October 8. “The continuation budget keeps state government open as the budget is finalized and passed by the legislature, ensuring Michiganders have uninterrupted access to government services, and state employees continue to get paid,” the statement read.
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