Michigan's Republican lawmakers are working to restore nearly $1 billion in line-item cuts from the state's budget after Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer vetoed the proposed spending.
The cuts include millions in health care funding, including $8 million for pregnancy and delivery services at rural medical facilities, more than $1 million to deal with the opioid crisis and more than $60 million for various educational initiatives.
Republicans say the budget cuts ignore the needs of Michigan residents.
Michigan Democrat Gov. Gretchen Whitmer
| Michigan.gov
"Gov. Whitmer vetoed funding for Teach for America, rural school districts, county veterans funding, sheriff’s deputy funding, jail reimbursements, autism funding, rural hospital funding and much more. Her line item vetoes only hurt people and ought not be used as pawns in a budget fight," State Rep. Aaron Miller (R-Sturgis) told the Sturgis-Coldwater News.
GOP leaders have a few options for attempting to restore the funding. They have introduced 24 supplemental spending bills, each of which addresses one of the items Whitmer vetoed. They can pass these bills individually, or alternatively seek to gather the necessary votes to overturn each of the line-item vetoes.
"I am more than willing to consider restoring those funds in supplemental budget bills as long as no strings are attached. If she is not willing to quit holding those funds hostage for a 45-cent gas tax increase, then I think line item veto override votes are our next logical choice," said Miller when assessing the options available to legislators.
For her part, Whitmer has outlined a series of budget priorities she'd like to see included in any supplemental spending bills put forth by the GOP. However, none of the supplemental bills introduced so far include the areas of focus outlined by the governor. Democrats in the state legislature, however, have signaled a willingness to negotiate with GOP leaders on the supplemental spending proposals.
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