LANSING, MI (WHTC-AM/FM) – Now that the immediate concerns over COVID 19 have passed in Michigan, state lawmakers have to tackle the financial impact of the pandemic.
A new state law mandating a spending plan to be on the Governor’s desk by June 30 won’t be met in 2020 because of the coronavirus, and with a budget deficit totaling around six billion dollars over the next two years staring lawmakers in the face, not meeting that deadline won’t be that big of a deal.
While Governor Whitmer and other state leaders are hoping for a financial bailout from Washington to help cover the bottom line shortfall, Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey isn’t among them.
“I wouldn’t mind a little more latitude on the money that’s already been released by the federal government,” he said on WTVB’s “Delaney in the Morning” program Monday, “but we don’t need any more money. We just need to face reality that decisions were made in this state that caused businesses and revenue to suffer, and so we have to adjust, just like every family has to adjust.”
While expressing optimism that “we’re on a decent track to put together a budget for reconciling this year and next year,” the Clarklake Republican is “hell bent” on holding schools harmless for this budget year, “but next budget year, there’s going to be a bit of a change in school budgets, hopefully for only one year, because we can count on the economy to come roaring back”
