Michigan’s new legislative leadership has named the Democrats who will take charge of the budget-making process during the next legislative session.
In the House, Rep. Angela Witwer (D-Delta Twp) will chair the Appropriations Committee.
She said she intends to be fiscally responsible.
“I want to be able to take ... the budget holistically and work on priorities of the governor’s and of the House and Senate and make sure we spend according to what the people want us to spend. We’re not looking at more money, we’re looking at the budget that we currently have,” Witwer said.
Currently serving as a member of the House Agriculture and Regulatory Reform committees, as well as the minority vice chair of House Health Policy, Witwer will be a newcomer to the Appropriations Committee next session.
But the third-term representative said she has plenty of financial experience from running her own business and working on hospital budgets.
On the Senate side, Senator-elect Sarah Anthony (D-Lansing) will hold the chair position.
Anthony, an incumbent representative, is coming in with two years of experience working on the House Appropriations Committee during her first term as a state Representative.
“The soon-to-be Democratic Majority is eager to get to work on a responsible, equitable, and fiscally sound state budget that addresses needs now and into the future, and we welcome all who are willing to do so in good faith with us,” Anthony said in a statement.
Anthony will also be the first Black woman to hold her position.
Aside from crafting state budgets alongside Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s office, Witwer and Anthony will be responsible for getting financial priorities on to the floor in their respective chambers.
Both Greater Lansing lawmakers have voted for legislation creating a fund to incentivize companies to bring large-scale development projects to Michigan. Resources from the fund have been allocated to ventures including a General Motors battery plant in the Lansing area.
Whitmer has signaled she’d like the state to continue investing in economic incentives.