Michigan Budget

A coalition of public transportation organizations are asking for $330 million to fund local bus operations as state lawmakers work to close a more than $1 billion gap in the upcoming budget.

The Senate plan would raise spending, even as the state faces a revenue shortfall. It also comes in around $12 billion over the state House's spending target.

A recent report shows bird populations are continuing to decline, and one third of birds need immediate conservation action.

The Michigan House approved a more than $152 million spending bill Monday to work on runways at Michigan’s Selfridge Air National Guard” base.The base is expecting federally-funded construction to support a new fighter mission that President Donald Trump announced last year.Michigan House Speaker Matt Hall (R-Richland Twp) said he fears that mission won’t actually happen if the work isn’t done before Trump leaves office.

A plan to build the cemetery was proposed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer but was left out after budget negotiation. Advocates say it would save military families time and money.

Mid-Michigan school administrators are mulling over potential programming cuts, changes to the state's universal lunch program and staffing issues after the state legislature failed to meet its July 1 budget deadline.

Lawmakers and policy researchers discussed a Republican-led road funding plan Wednesday before the Michigan Senate Appropriations Committee.

Michigan’s projected revenue to support a roughly $80 billion state budget is steady and predictable, even if it’s not as flush as it was in recent years.

The legislature reconvenes Tuesday with a focus on finalizing the new state budget.

Budget negotiations will continue this week as Democrats and Republicans seek common ground on House and Senate proposals.