Just hours after, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer convened a crucial meeting with legislative leaders on Tuesday to discuss the state budget stalemate.
The Michigan House passed a budget, moving negotiations into the next phase before a potential government shutdown on Oct. 1.
Whitmer met with House Speaker Matt Hall and Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks in a productive discussion, as characterized by her office, with staff members expected to maintain close communication over the next month.
The state faces mounting concerns, particularly in education, where school districts began their fiscal year on July 1 without confirmed state funding levels.
Royal Oak Schools has already warned families that failure to pass a state budget by September 30 would end their ability to provide free lunch to all students.
“I have made my disappointments and frustrations about entering September without a house budget proposal abundantly clear,” said Brinks. “It’s 36 days until Oct. 1, and we have a lot of work to do. It’s work that we can accomplish, but the games and distractions need to end.”
The House budget proposal includes $54.63 billion for state departments, including $12.09 billion allocated to the General Fund.
Following the passage, Hall and several House Republicans held a press conference.
“We identified $5 billion of waste, fraud, and abuse. Today, the House passed a budget that cuts all that waste, fraud, and abuse and sets better priorities for your tax dollars on roads, public safety, and education,” Hall said.
While September budget approvals aren’t unprecedented in Michigan — the last occurring in 2021 — the stakes remain high.
The state’s last government shutdown in 2007 lasted only four hours.