Governor Gretchen Whitmer and state lawmakers have 26 billion dollars to work with to draw up the next state budget. That number is two billion dollars more than initially anticipated as the state dealt with the impact of COVID-19 on the economy.
State Treasurer Rachel Eubanks says the economy is rebounding as more people get vaccinated, people are spending money, and the state budget’s getting a boost from federal COVID-19 recovery funds.
“I’m delighted to say we’re in a much better place today than we were a year ago.”
This development comes a day after Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the Legislature’s Republican leaders agreed to end a standoff and resume in-person budget talks. An agreement between the governor and the Legislature on how much money is available is an important step toward finalizing the state budget.
