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Michigan Senate OKs $56.6B Budget With More Base School Aid

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The Michigan Senate has approved $56.6 billion budget plan that would provide the biggest increase in base aid for lower-funded school districts in a dozen years while slightly trimming a main fund that covers other state spending, largely due to a projected drop in public assistance caseloads.

The move Thursday sets the stage for further talks more than a week after the House OK'd its own plan.

Gov. Rick Snyder and the Republican-led Legislature will work to finalize the next budget in June.

The Senate plan includes a $230 per-pupil increase for school districts that get the minimum grant.

Higher-funded districts would get $115 more per student.

The Senate unanimously passed many spending bills but split largely on party lines over measures related to roads, schools, environmental protection and prisons.

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