State Representative Beth Griffin is pleased progress has been made on the state budget this week. The Mattawan Republican tells WSJM News House and Senate negotiators have been working with Governor Gretchen Whitmer to restore funding included in the original state budget this year. Nearly $1 billion was line item vetoed by the governor. Griffin says this restored funding covers several important programs.
“It restored some public safety money that allows the sheriffs to have secondary road patrols, and also restores some money for per diem jail reimbursement because some of our local jails, like Van Buren County’s, get additional money from the state for housing certain people,” Griffin said.
Griffin says it also restores school security money, money to clean up PFAS at airports, and funding for the Jobs for Michigan’s Graduates program. She says it’s good to see the governor and legislative leaders finally compromising. Griffin says this delay in getting a finalized state budget was not necessary, as legislative Republicans tried to work with the governor while she sought new road repair money. It’s expected everything will be done next week.
