Livingston Today

State Rep. Ann Bollin, who chairs the House Appropriations Committee, has criticized Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson for what she describes as misleading statements regarding recent budget cuts and their potential impact on Michigan residents.

Bollin addressed claims made by Benson that the House-passed budget would result in long delays at Secretary of State branches. According to Bollin, these assertions are not accurate.

The House budget targets 240 positions within the Department of State. Of these, 186 are currently unfilled positions, 49 were created in the last five years under Benson’s leadership, and five are unclassified administrative roles that do not provide direct service at local branches.

“Secretary Benson is trying to scare Michigan families into believing routine services like license renewals and title transfers will grind to a halt, when in reality the cuts won’t touch the people who actually serve residents,” said Bollin.

She further challenged the notion that eliminating certain administrative posts would lead to significant wait times for services. “If cutting five political appointees — the people who help Benson push her radical agenda and plaster her face on billboards — truly leads to hours-long waits across Michigan, then she’s either a terrible administrator, or she’s causing these delays on purpose,” Bollin said.

Bollin stated that House Republicans developed the budget with an emphasis on reducing unnecessary spending while prioritizing essential services. “Families are stretched thin. They expect us to live within our means and direct their tax dollars to priorities that make life better in Michigan, not to fund ads for a Secretary of State who is staging a gubernatorial campaign,” Bollin said. “This budget reins in wasteful spending and ensures taxpayer money is used for essential services that people depend on every day.”