The Legislature has sent a bill to fund K-through-12 funding to Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s desk. This is the first budget bill adopted with an October first deadline looming.
October first is the beginning of the state’s new fiscal year. Republicans such as Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey say with budget negotiations stalled, it’s time to force choices on Governor Whitmer.
“We’ve got to run government.”
“I think she’s going to take a hard look at the individual lines and we’ll see what happens. I mean, she’s got a lot of options.”
That second voice is Democratic state Senator Curtis Hertel. He says Democrats would have liked more money for special education and at-risk students in the K-through-12 budget.
Republican leaders say they expect to have the rest of the budget delivered to Governor Whitmer next week. What to do about money for road repairs remains a major point of difference