- The 83 billion dollar state budget passed in the democratic-led legislature early Thursday morning.
- The controversial school aid budget includes free community college for Michigan high schoolers and a decrease in mental health and school safety grants.
The hefty state budget is on the way to the governor. After an all-nighter state legislators passed the 83 billion dollar budget for the 2025 fiscal year.
The sound of the gavel heard early Thursday morning after lawmakers passed a state budget that will send millions of dollars to mid-Michigan...
Included in the budget is 15 million dollars of funding for affordable housing projects, 10 million for Potter Park Zoo, 12.5 million for Ingham County juvenile justice facility, and 5 million to CATA facility improvements.
But the biggest talker of the night was a school aid fund that Republican lawmakers found controversial.
Passed separately in the early hours of the night, the 23-billion-dollar school aid fundincreased the funding for universal Pre-K and provided two years of free college for Michigan high schoolers.
But it also made cuts...
and the Michigan Education Association expressed their concern for an over 270 million dollar cut in school safety and student mental health grants saying the cuts "will need to be navigated at the local level to keep our schools safe learning spaces for all students and employees."
They also said they hope state lawmakers will pass a supplemental budget after the recess to supplement the funding.
The budget also gives more to road projects, the hiring of Michigan state police officers, and lowering the cost of living. Governor Gretchen Whitmer has to sign the bill before it all goes into place.
Want to see more local news? Visit the FOX47News Website.
For more news about the State Capitol, go to the State Capitol neighborhood page on our website.
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere.
Sign up for newsletters emailed to your inbox.
Select from these options: Neighborhood News, Breaking News, Severe Weather, School Closings, Daily Headlines, and Daily Forecasts.
