LANSING (WXYZ) — State lawmakers say they have reached a bipartisan budget deal; however, it remains unclear if it will be passed before the midnight Tuesday deadline. Despite that, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer says work for all state employees won't stop.
Watch Darren Cunningham's video reports:
In statements released Tuesday afternoon, Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Majority Leader Winnie Brinks, and Speaker Matt Hall all commented on the deal.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer:
Tomorrow, state government will continue and work will go on in the legislature to finalize a balanced, bipartisan state budget this week. We’re on the verge of making huge progress to fix our state and local roads, feed our kids at school, cut taxes for seniors and working families, protect access to affordable health care, and keep Michiganders safe in their communities. 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. Meanwhile, state government will continue providing uninterrupted services and all state employees will work tomorrow, getting things done for their fellow Michiganders. We’re almost there. Let's get it done.
Majority Leader Winnie Brinks:
Michiganders deserve a state budget that puts their hard-earned taxpayer dollars to good use, and I’m proud that we will be voting on a product that secures free breakfast and lunch for kids, protects Medicaid, secures meaningful funding for families and communities while also delivering on roads. Residents can rest assured that we are working in tandem and share a commitment to getting the budget done as soon as the bills are ready.
Speaker Matt Hall:
We made progress over the weekend eliminating waste, fraud and abuse so we can finally fund our top needs as a state. House Republicans have been fighting from day one to restore school safety and mental health, eliminate ghost employees, and bring the Hall Ethics Accountability and Transparency plan permanently to Lansing, and now we are seeing movement on these major priorities. With these reforms, this agreement is going to lower the cost of government and give Michigan families better value for their tax dollars. We are working hard to draft these bills now so we can lock in this plan and get state government moving in the right direction.
On Tuesday, Governor Whitmer sent a message to state employees letting them know state government operations would continue in the coming days, beyond the October 1st deadline, while a deal is being finalized.
"While the full budget is finalized, your jobs will not be impacted. Your work will continue. You will get paid," the message reads.
However, that provides no relief for the groups that rallied outside the Capitol today, hoping any funding cuts or increased taxes won’t impact them.
“The fact that we are now down to the wire, quite frankly, is unacceptable. People, I have to pass a budget as a director of a nonprofit; if I don’t, I would be fired. It’s unacceptable that we have gotten to a point where school districts open the school year without knowing what their funding structure is going to look like," said Rachelle Crow-Hercher with the Michigan Education Justice Coalition.
Related Story: A look at the framework Michigan lawmakers are discussing in the state budget
On one side of the Capitol lawn, a coalition of educators and parents gathered, urging lawmakers to spare any cuts to education as the Legislature takes it to the wire to finalize a state budget.
“I’m here to advocate for making sure that we adequately fund mental healthcare in schools. Last year, the last budget, allotted for $300 million for mental health inside schools and we need to make sure that it stays at least that and that hopefully more and stays robust because we know that, especially in areas like Oxford, kids are continuing to walk into classrooms, into the front doors of schools traumatized," said Emily Bush of Oxford.
Advocates for the cannabis industry came for the second day in a row, pushing back on a proposed 24 percent wholesale tax.
While it would help fund roads, they’re concerned the tax could lead to job cuts, less tips for budtenders, and of course, higher costs passed on to customers.
“We have a $3 billion cannabis industry here in Michigan, one of the most successful industries in the state, and ya know, putting this tax in place would cost thousands and thousands of jobs," said Aaron Lanctot.
Watch our previous coverage when lawmakers announced an agreement below:
