Lawmakers unveil, approve $62.7B state budget

LANSING» Michigan lawmakers on wednesday swift ly proposed and passed a $62.7 billion budget that would keep spending flat thanks to a federal rescue and avoid major cuts that had been feared due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The bipartisan plan was unveiled in the morning and won final approval by day’s end— a week before the oct. 1 deadline — before going to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer for her expected signature. Majority Republicans skipped the normal monthslong routine of holding committee hearings and publicly offering counterproposals to the pitch the Democratic governor made in February — before COVID-19 upended everything.

Instead, the sides spent four-plus weeks hammering out details in private after coming to a consensus on the budget picture three months later than usual. The process also was delayed to address a shortfall in the current fiscal year but was much smoother than a year ago, when there was an impasse over Whitmer’s proposal to raise fuel taxes to fix the roads.

“Saying that the development of the 2021 budget has been difficult would bean under statement, but I am very proud that we’ve been able to work together with the Legislature to put together a budget that moves michigan forward ,” the governor said in a written statement in which she than kedgop leaders.

In the $17.6 billion education budget, which the Senate and house approved 36-1 and 103-2, K-12 would see a 1.4% funding boost. While base aid for traditional districts and charter schools would remain the same — ranging from$8,111 to $8,529 per student — they would get a one-time boost averaging $65 a pupil. Districts with increased enrollment would receive evenmore.

Cuts are planned, too. The Corrections department, citing fewer prisoners and other changes, will injanuary close a detroit location that houses parole violators and inmates who need dialysis.

Departments would trim a total of $250 million, largely through reductions in the multibillion- dollar Medicaid budget that would not directly affect services, said state spokesman Kurtweiss.