Livingston Today

The Michigan House of Representatives recently passed the Fiscal Year 2025 budget following an extensive session lasting 19 hours, from Wednesday morning to early Thursday. The Democratic majority in the House presented the final budget version late at night, giving Republican lawmakers limited time to review it before voting.

Republican representatives managed to secure some wins in the process. Notably, they prevented Governor Whitmer from reducing funding for the Office of the Auditor General. "If you’re a regular reader of this column, you might remember that I wrote a fiery piece after the governor proposed cutting the auditor general by 28 percent," stated one lawmaker. The auditor general's office had previously exposed underreported nursing home deaths during COVID-19 and uncovered unemployment fraud worth billions.

However, several aspects of the budget drew criticism. Concerns were raised over insufficient funds allocated for local roads while $400 million was earmarked for new spending projects elsewhere. There was also disapproval regarding significant cuts to school safety funding and increased subsidies for electric vehicles (EVs). One lawmaker expressed their view: "I just think protecting students is a better use of taxpayer money."

Additionally, a contentious decision involved diverting $670 million initially intended for the teacher retirement fund. Although some argue that healthcare portions are adequately funded, concerns persist due to an existing $34 billion shortfall in pension funding. This move sparked opposition from various school groups wary of potential future financial shortfalls.

Another issue highlighted was the absence of clawback language concerning a previous expenditure by a Whitmer appointee on luxury items using taxpayer money. The initial House-passed budget included provisions to reclaim these funds, which had bipartisan support but were removed from the final version.