South Kent News

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer authorized a COVID-19 spending plan to use $2.3 billion out of $5 million of the available federal funds, according to reporting by Bridge Michigan.

However, she also vetoed $652 in Republican-led Legislature proposals and a bill that would limit her power amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The funds, which were distributed in December but were delayed following further discussion between the governor and the Republican lawmakers, will be invested as follows: $110 million will be spent on distributing the COVID-19 vaccine, $150 million on health care worker raises, $283 million will be used for the establishment of an emergency assistance program for struggling families and over $1 billion will be allocated to Michigan's schools. Approximately $1.2 billion of the total federal funding is still being reviewed for allocation. 

Rep. Thomas Albert | Michigan House Republicans

Small businesses were left out when the governor vetoed $405 million worth of business tax and fee breaks, following the Legislature's rejection of a $225 million business grant proposal last month.

Republican former lieutenant governor and president of the Small Business Association of Michigan Brian Calley questioned the state’s true efforts to help the establishments survive, saying that the veto "sends a message that the state is not serious about the survival of small businesses,” according to Bridge Michigan.

House Appropriations Chairman Thomas Albert (R-Lowell) also voiced concern about the rejection, telling Bridge Michigan, “This desperately needed assistance was not tied to any other measure or condition in the relief plan, yet the governor vetoed it anyway. And with it, she is killing off whatever hope struggling families and job providers had left.”

Whitmer also rejected $150 million to prop up the employer-funded Unemployment Insurance Fund, $87 million in relief funding for private schools and $10 million in grants for parents to cover their children’s summer school expenses. The vetoes were issued due to a lack of negotiation between her administration and the Republicans in the Michigan Legislature. 

“There were problems in the bills that I had to veto, and I expect the Legislature to step up to fix the bill to allocate all of the money so we can get back to normal as soon as possible," Whitmer said, according to Bridge Michigan.

She put forth a $5.6 billion relief plan, which was considered by the Legislature for an extended period. The Republican party later proposed $4.2 billion, which she pushed back to $3.5 billion. In addition to the other rejections, Whitmer also vetoed a bill that would forbid the state health department to close schools and events if another COVID-19 outbreak occurs, as well as a proposal to give local health departments sole discretion to allow closures based on infection case counts.

“The bills I received were not negotiated with me or my administration, and I continue to call on the Legislature to ensure that we work together to ensure we maximize every penny that is available,” Whitmer said, reported by Bridge Michigan.

Budget Director Dave Massaron has solicited a meeting with House and Senate representatives to draft the next relief spending plan, telling Bridge Michigan, “If we can get together in a room and discuss our common goal to help the people of Michigan, I believe we can come to an agreement on putting the remaining federal dollars to work for our state.”