Lawmakers and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer appear on the verge of ending a stalemate sparked by the governor’s line-item veto of millions in funding for the 2020 state budget.
The two sides have been at odds since early November when Whitmer sprang into action. More recently, lawmakers pushed through a pair of bills that would re-appropriate more than half of the $1 billion Whitmer vetoed.
According to Bridge Michigan, millions in funding would be restored for programs that fund rural police patrols, charter schools, isolated school districts, county jails, autism programming and rural hospitals, and other programs.
Michigan Democrat Gov. Gretchen Whitmer
| Michigan.gov
“While this does not restore all of the governor's vetoes and transfers, it is a good first step in the right direction,” Senate Appropriations Chair Jim Stamas told Bridge. “It is my hope this is the last time any of these programs are caught in the political crossfire.”
The compromise effort has paved the way for both Democrats and Republicans to get some of their preferred programs.
In a nod toward GOP legislators, $7 million would be restored for isolated school districts, $1.25 million for Autism Navigator and nearly $22 million for rural hospital and OB-GYN services. Among the items Whitmer has pushed for are included as part of the supplemental spending bill are $2 million to help the Secretary of State’s office implement the independent redistricting commission, $13 million for urban public transit systems and $10.5 million for training new corrections officers.
Alerts Sign-up