Closed-door negotiations continued Wednesday with seemingly little to no progress toward a deal to end the budget impasse at the state Capitol less than a month before the legal deadline.
House Republican and Senate Democratic leaders are still sorting through differences as school districts, public universities and many local governments have already begun their budget years with barely a clue on what to expect from the state.
“I am hopeful that, you know, we need to just continue to get into the room, have the conversations and get this done,” said Representative Ann Bollin (R-Brighton), who chairs the House Appropriations Committee.
But no one is making any promises that differences – especially on road funding – can be bridged in time to avert a partial government shutdown when the state’s new fiscal year begins on October 1.
“We remain optimistic that we’ll have a bipartisan budget deal ahead of October 1,” said State Budget Office spokesperson Lauren Leeds. “We will continue working diligently in the weeks ahead to negotiate and pass a balanced, bipartisan budget that prioritizes fixing our roads and ensures anyone can make it in Michigan.”
Budget Director Jen Flood was among those in the room trying to break the deadlock. Governor Gretchen Whitmer is out of the state on a trade visit to Japan and Singapore.
Senator Sarah Anthony (D-Lansing), who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, said foot-dragging in recent weeks by House Republicans has set the process far behind schedule. She also said the House budget adopted last week is unacceptable.
“Drastic cuts that will ultimately hurt Michigan families and gut public safety and essential services,” she said. “So, now that we know where their values lie and the proposed cuts that they’re putting on the table, now the negotiations start in earnest.”
Bollin said the Senate budget plan is incomplete because it does not include a roads funding plan. She said the House plan comes in $7 billion below Democrats’ proposals. But Anthony, the Senate budget chair, said the House plan is a long way from a final product.
“So, there’s always room to compromise, but we’re not going to do that on the backs of working families in Michigan,” she said.
