Michigan's spending

Business groups say the enhanced benefits make it harder to find employees. Democrats disagree, and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is not expected to sign the legislation.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s plan is intended to incentivize more residents to seek jobs even as they continue to obtain federal benefits this summer.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s economic plan would also direct money to help parents offset childcare expenses and enable businesses to cover operational costs. She must negotiate the plan with a GOP-majority legislature.

Despite state officials expressing optimism about the latest numbers, Eric Bussis, the chief economist at the Michigan Department of Treasury warned that some factors could still derail the projected revenues.

Michigan Republicans who control the state Legislature have bickered for a year with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, over emergency orders.

Republicans are using budget stalemate to hold up child care money and try to kill mask mandates, any plans for a vaccine passport and efforts to stop Line 5. They won’t likely have much luck.

The federal government this week announced final stimulus funding allocations for state and local governments. State government will get $6.5 billion, up from an earlier estimate of $5.7 billion. Michigan’s 83 counties will receive a collective $1.9 billion, and the state’s 49 largest cities will receive a combined $1.8 billion.

Michigan cities, townships, villages and counties are expected to receive a collective $4.4 billion from the COVID-19 stimulus package. Experts say the “rescue plan” can help local governments meet their immediate needs and think long-term.

Governments are receiving a windfall unseen in decades, $5.9 billion to state coffers and $4.4 billion to cities, towns and counties. As communities eye neglected infrastructure and other needs, use this database to see how much is coming to Michigan communities.

Months after dire predictions that COVID-19 would force massive state spending cuts, rebounding revenue and federal assistance helped Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and legislative leaders strike a deal to avoid major service cuts. They even managed to find enough money for 33 “pork barrel” spending projects.

This is the time to commit to a fairer funding system that moves Michigan from its position as one of the least fair states for educational opportunity.

Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's administration and Republican legislative leaders said Monday they've agreed to a framework for the 2021 budget that will protect funding for K-12 schools and local governments despite revenue declines amid COVID-19.

It’s not too late for lawmakers to fix the budget to give students the best possible outcome during a school year otherwise full of uncertainties, a group of Michigan superintendents suggests.

We simply cannot afford to continue to have higher education serve as the balancing wheel of the state budget, to the detriment of Michigan’s public universities and its 280,000 students.

Michigan may not get any more help from the federal government as it seeks to balance a projected multibillion budget deficit by October, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing, according to the most powerful Republican in the state Legislature.

The Michigan Senate agreed to cut spending and use up federal dollars to bridge a hefty budget gap caused by the coronavirus. The next budget is due at the end of September.

Michigan’s Democratic governor and Republican lawmakers announce budget deal for this fiscal year, but plenty of work could remain on an even bigger budget shortfall that is fast approaching because of the coronavirus pandemic.

School leaders across the state are pleading for federal funding to ease otherwise crippling budget cuts caused by coronavirus revenue shortfalls.

“I am certainly encouraged to see a state leader deciding to shield its high-poverty districts from the bulk of these cuts,” said one expert.

The coronavirus pandemic and state lockdown have prompted a budget shortfall estimated at $6.2 billion, and Gov. Whitmer says Michigan and other states desperately need help from the federal government.