Gov. Whitmer, Michigan Legislature reach budget deal

LANSING, Mich. – The budget battle has been at a stalemate since September between Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Republican-controlled Legislature.

The Legislature sent the governor a budget, which she line-item vetoed $1 billion out of and then moved money around in departments. It was a negotiating tactic that didn’t do much except raise the ire level in Lansing.

This week marks the end of the legislative session. A compromise has been reached between Whitmer and the Legislature to restore $573 million of the $1 billion Whitmer cut. That money will now flow back into items like programming for autism and road patrol dollars for county sheriffs.

There are still notable exceptions. Whitmer vetoed the budget for the Pure Michigan tourism program and so far no deal to fund it has happened and won’t happen before the end of the year. The issue could be revisited next year.

The other big exception is that there is still no deal on a comprehensive road and infrastructure fix. Whitmer’s proposed 45 cent a gallon gas hike that flopped hard with Republicans and Democrats. It will be back to the drawing board in the new year.


About the Author: