Whitmer’s proposed budget calls for $392 in additional spending per pupil

• • 
    Gretchen Whitmer released her proposed budget to lawmakers on Wednesday
    
  • 
    It includes boosting more funding for students by nearly $400
    
  • 
    But amid fears that federal funding could be cut, many are not holding their breath
    

• 
  Gretchen Whitmer released her proposed budget to lawmakers on Wednesday
  
• 
  It includes boosting more funding for students by nearly $400
  
• 
  But amid fears that federal funding could be cut, many are not holding their breath
  

(FOX 2):The governor of Michigan unveiled her proposed budget, which asks the state for $83.5 billion in financing for the next fiscal year.

In an effort to boost resources for school districts throughout the state, it requests hundreds of dollars more in financing for children. Members of Congress will now begin negotiating their own proposal.

The backstory

On Lansing’s budget day, the governor presented her most recent plan for the next fiscal year. The announcement was made in the midst of uncertainty in Washington, D.C., and since Michigan’s budget is heavily dependent on federal funding, any plan might be derailed by possible cuts.

After Donald Trump ordered that all government money be halted until a judge frozen the action, some politicians gave hints about what those negotiations would entail.

Sen. Mallory McMorrow (D-Royal Oak) stated, “The federal freeze over the past week made us all painfully aware of what disruptions to federal funding look like.”

Gretchen Whitmer made several significant requests, one of which was to increase funding for each student by $392, bringing the total to $10,000 per student.

However, certain vital resources may vanish as a result of federal funding cuts and the possible closure of the Department of Education.

It was state senator Darrin Cammilleri (D-Trenton) who inquired, “What would we do to make up that $2.3 billion in cuts?” “We’re talking special education funding, school meals for all, Title one funding for our most at-risk students, as well as protections in Title IX and enforcing protecting women in sports.”

Look more closely:

Although she was unsure of the outcome, the state budget director stated that such cuts would “cause a lot of chaos in state government.”

According to Jen Flood, “we don’t have a crystal ball,”

The deputy budget director disregarded the possibility of Michigan using its $2 billion rainy day fund.

“The notion of us being able to backstop whether its education or some of the other proposed cuts at the federal level is not really an option,” stated Kyle Guerrant. “Some different decisions would have to be made on what programs and services would need to be impacted.”

To put it another way, any federal losses would need to be offset by reductions in existing state programs.

What they’re saying:

Republicans on the other side of the aisle allayed Democrats’ worries about the next budget.

According to Representative Ann Bollin (R-Brighton Township), it was “making unnecessary noise in the room.”

“I don’t think that the president or the federal government wants to cut people off at their knees,” she stated. At the state level, they share the same worries that we do. Our goal is to ensure that taxpayers are receiving a decent return on their investment.