Leaders in Lansing have started negotiating the Michigan State Budget. At the end of August, the Michigan House of Representatives, led by House Republicans and Speaker Matt Hall, approved a state budget proposal. The house’s proposal falls 6 billion dollars below the Senate proposal provided in July.
COVID money is over with and the Senate proposed a budget that was over a billion dollars over. As a state government, we can’t deficit spend like Washington DC. We have to spend according to the revenue generated statewide. – Representative Greg Markkanen, 110th District, Michigan House of Representatives
110th District Representative Greg Markkanen holds a seat within the Appropriations Committee. He says progress on the state’s budget took longer than expected. Placing blame on democrats.
I’m blessed to be in my fourth term, and I think we spent more time in session this past year than I have ever in the past three terms. You know we’re here. The Senate has very little in district time or in session time. You know we’re prepared to step up and start negotiating in a serious manner. The gap is wide as far as philosophies go. – Representative Greg Markkanen, 110th District, Michigan House of Representatives
Michigan Advance published in July that the state’s House worked over a nine-hour session to negotiate amendments in the senate proposal to a new school budget for 2025-26. Both sides, Senate Democrats and House Republicans, share in the blame for why a school budget has not been approved before the start of the school year.
Both parties, since July 1st, have pointed fingers at the other. Republicans noting the senate dismissed its work session early on that day. While democrats blamed Speaker Matt Hall for not speaking productively in the weeks leading up to July.
In one sense, we’re trying to be very fiscally responsible. And as our committees have gone through the budgets line by line by line, we have found over 4,000 phantom employees in departments where they have, in the past, they have requested FTEs for new personnel… We’re cutting those positions and putting that money back into our road plan, for example, 3.4 billion, without raising any types of taxes. – Representative Greg Markkanen, 110th District, Michigan House of Representatives
The house’s budget proposes cuts across several departments of the state, and consolidates program funding for schools. In a recent interview with WILX 10, State Superintendent Michael Rice says the consolidation of program funds could force school districts to make tough decisions, potentially requiring districts to decide between free school meals or other programs.
We want local superintendents and school boards to make financial decisions. The Michigan Department of Education has had a chance to address declining literacy rates, but MiStep results from last spring remain dismal and need improvement. – Representative Greg Markkanen, 110th District, Michigan House of Representatives
Representative Markkanen hopes to see the state complete negotiations before October 1st, when the state’s fiscal year resets and a budget must be in place. Or the state of Michigan would be forced to shut down. He adds that the house republicans are flexible on much of the proposed budget’s line items.
I do not want to see a shutdown. I’m concerned that the governor at this critical time has decided to go on a field trip to Japan and Singapore and leave the state, taking, I think, 25 people with her and spending millions of dollars on a trip, 12,000-mile flight. When we need the governor here to help with negotiations. That’s not very good leadership in my opinion. – Representative Greg Markkanen, 110th District, Michigan House of Representatives
The governor’s state budget proposal, released in February, would bring the state’s budget to 83.5 billion dollars. Michigan’s Senate proposed a budget slightly lower at 84.6 billion dollars. The state’s House of Representatives proposed a budget of 78.5 billion dollars. WEMU published on Thursday, leaders remain optimistic about negations, despite not much progress since leaders began meeting behind closed doors.
Find links to the Executive, Senate, and House budget analyses for 2026 below.
House of Representatives Analysis
Those interested in contacting Representative Greg Markkanen’s office can find information here.
Those interested in learning more about the additional coverage of the state’s budget process can find supplementary information attached throughout the article.
Comments