UP Gazette

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, working with the Michigan Legislature after five months with no cooperation, enabled the approval of a bipartisan budget plan that protects public schools and local governments, Rep. Beau LaFave (R-Iron Mountain) said.

“It was not easy fulfilling our constitutional obligation of balancing a state budget given the budget shortfall we find ourselves in, but both Republicans and Democrats in the Legislature worked with the governor to make some tough choices,” LaFave said, according to the Michigan House Republicans website. “Despite tough choices, we were still able to increase investments in areas most important to the people of Michigan.”

Michigan had a $2.2 billion budget shortfall in its current fiscal year budget. The budget plan pulls $350 million from the rainy day fund the Legislature created over several years. Savings and efficiencies accounted for another $460 million to help cover the shortfall. Federal COVID-19 relief funds also helped legislators handle the budget shortfall.

Rep. Beau LaFave | Michigan House Republicans

The efforts to help maintain state education aid and local government funding equaled or offset reductions otherwise required by a budget shortfall.

“I just hope that the governor doesn’t pull the same line-item veto nonsense like she did last time, because it was actually nice working together for a change,” LaFave said, according to Michigan House Republicans

LaFave’s amendment, which tied funding for Michigan State University to keeping James Madison College's name, despite pressure from left-wing activists, failed.

“Taxpayer dollars should not be wasted by public institutions to delete history and rename colleges over the emotions of a few sensitive students who would be better off going to school rather than renaming it,” he told Michigan House Republicans.