LANSING, Mich. – In the midst of a state budget impasse, Republican House Speaker Matt Hall used a press conference in Lansing on Thursday morning to push back against what he claims are Democratic falsehoods about the House’s budget, which faces a deadline of Oct. 1.
“We fund education more than the Democrats do, more than the governor does,” Hall said. “We have a plan to put $3.1 billion into roads so you do not have to pick between education and roads.”
Hall spent this morning mixing in details about the Republican-led House budget with insults toward Democrats in the State Senate, specifically Democratic Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks.
“I heard Winnie Brinks say that we cut it, but you look, according to these documents, we actually increased it $127 million,” Hall said, standing next to a display showing a single line from the proposed Republican budget. “So, we’re actually, we’re making big investments in the House Budget on education.”
Hall is referencing a press conference held by Senate Democrats on Wednesday (Aug. 20) in Lansing.
Brinks and others said that the House’s budget was planning to effectively take a sledgehammer to educational programs in Michigan.
Senate Democrats have accused Republicans of engaging in bad-faith negotiation as the Oct. 1 budget deadline approaches.
“We’re without a substantive state budget to work with, all thanks to the inaction and irresponsibility of House Republicans,” Brinks said. “Their half-baked education proposal makes catastrophic cuts to our public education system.
“It guts funding for school safety, for special education at risk, students, literacy, mental health, free school meals, and so much more,” she added.
Hall pushed back during the press conference, repeatedly stating that the House budget allocates more funds to those programs.
“So, the house proposes to spend the most on education, but yet you hear radical left leaders like Winnie Brinks say that we have to make a choice between roads and education,” Hall said. “That’s not true.”
On Thursday afternoon, Michigan’s Senate Democrats responded to Hall’s press conference, saying in a statement:
“The [budget] deadline is in 41 days, and there is no excuse for Republicans to be dragging their feet when Democrats have a plan on the table. Matt Hall is putting schools and students on the line — if the government shuts down, it’s at his feet.
“Let’s be clear, the Governor introduced a budget in February, the Senate Democrats passed theirs, but Hall has failed to pass his own.”