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| Speaker Of The House Matt Hall |
By Brandon Hall
(Email him at WestMIPolitics@Gmail.com)
As the July 1st deadline for the Michigan legislature to pass a budget is about to come and go without the legislature having complied with their legal responsibilities, Speaker Matt Hall and the House Republicans can confidently say they have done everything they can.
Michigan House Republicans have not shied away from taking on the big issues like roads, education, and public safety the last 6 months---instead, they have tackled them head on---with impressive results.
Michigan House Republicans passed a historic education budget, full of innovative reforms:
️The foundation allowance is locked in at $12,000 per student (+$2,392) - an all-time record! ️New flexibility: our local school districts decide their budgets, NOT Lansing lobbyists...️More than $300 million is being invested to shrink class sizes, giving students more individual attention, as well as increase 3rd-grade reading levels, and fix old school buildings...️School safety & mental-health funding is being restored after Democrat's recent cuts, as well as school resource officers in every district!️Wasteful, "for-profit earmarks" have been eliminated—every dollar goes to schools!️Expansion of career-tech and vocational programs...️Eliminating DEI, and strengthening protections for girls sports!
The House Republican education budget delivers for our teachers, students and parents!
WITHOUT raising taxes:
Cut $1 billion+ of corporate welfare
Use the sales tax ALREADY paid at the pump
️Prioritize current funding in the budget
Cut $600 million in wasteful, BS spending
House Republicans also passed the bipartisan Public Safety And Violence Prevention Trust Fund to support local police departments and Sheriffs all across Michigan with nearly $120 million
For the first time ever, any legislator requesting a special earmark project had to put their name behind it.At nearly every turn, Speaker Hall and House Republicans have hit it out of the park!
However, over in the Senate---where Dem Appropriations Chair Sara Anthony actually said she doesn't give a damn about the July 1st legal deadline---it's been a much different story. Illegal And Unconstitutional Budget With $1 BILLION Deficit Cuts 60,000 from Medicaid---perhaps to blame President Trump?Even with thousands of fully funded (but unfilled) positions across state government, the Senate Democrats created and paid for 300 new government bureaucrat positions.The budget Includes a handful of "placeholders" for major issues like implementing the controversial Michigan State Supreme Court decision requiring new sentencing hearings for murderers 20 and younger, and road/infrastructure improvements---a sign they haven’t put in the work, and don’t have a plan. Given that their budget is already overspent, that $3 billion placeholder for roads also suggests a massive tax hike proposal may be on the horizon!The Senate’s DNR budget makes expensive recreational passports mandatory for all vehicles, and sharply increases hunting and fishing license fees, hitting families, outdoor enthusiasts, and everyday drivers with unnecessary new costs. Every driver will pay a new tax on their birthday every year under this plan. Happy Birthday from the Michigan Senate Dems! The Senate Democrats are doubling down on the radical leftist wet dream of defunding the police. The House proposed a Public Safety Trust Fund that puts ~$115 million of annual funding into public safety every year, in every community all across Michigan, with a focus on those doing a good job trying to bring down major crimes. The Senate budget provides roughly half of that. The Senate Democrats funnel millions into controversial, unpopular programs, including $10 million for government-funded EV charging stations, $8 million for a pilot program for a new tax on the miles you drive, and $1 million for marijuana ‘social equity,’ whatever the hell that even means! Their budget also forces DEI reporting requirements onto public universities, and deputizes the Attorney General’s office to take away local funding unless municipalities have sanctuary city-style policies and support for birthright citizenship. Senate Democrats only fund schools at a $10,008 per-pupil foundation allowance —less than what House Republicans offered to fund education in the shutdown prevention plan.
The Senate budget creates an uneven playing field by slashing support for students who don’t attend traditional public schools. Public charter cyber schools receive 20% less per student, mental health and school safety funds are restricted to only certain schools, free meals are only for some kids, and a $1 million reimbursement for health and safety mandates at non-public schools is eliminated. Without an agreement, Michigan’s government will shut down at midnight on October 1st...Speaker Hall is ready to make a fair deal. Democrats control the Governor's office and Senate, he respects that reality. Elections matter.
Now, it's time Winnie Brinks and Sara Anthony respect the fact that Republicans control the State House. Elections matter. It's time they recognize that, and come to the bargaining table in good faith...
Stay tuned!
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Brandon Hall is a lifelong political nerd from Grand Haven, and is the Managing Editor of West Michigan Politics.
>>>Email him at WestMIPolitics@Gmail.com
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