How Should the State Spend its Extra Revenue?

Now that the state government bean counters have settled on how much extra money the state will have left over from the current fiscal year, the governor and legislative leaders have to figure out what to do with it.

House Speaker Kevin Cotter, R-Mt. Pleasant, says some of the additional $575 million could be used to help Flint and its water crisis.

In fact, a supplemental appropriation for Flint could be introduced in the legislature in the next few weeks.

The money could also be used to help Detroit Public Schools with its debt or to repair the state’s roads.

Senate Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof, meanwhile, wants to use the money to pay down state debt.

Putting some of the money in the state’s Rainy Day Fund is also on the table.