LANSING, Mich. — The state Senate on Wednesday completed its fiscal year 2023 budget plan, dedicating $2 billion for tax cuts as well as increased funding for K-12 schools and community colleges, among other increases.
“My colleagues and I remain absolutely committed to providing tax relief for West Michigan residents and those across our state, and the budget that we approved today will ensure that everyone will be able to keep a little more of what they earn to help afford the increased costs of living in this time of historic inflation,” said Bumstead, R-North Muskegon. “Our budget also continues our years-long commitment to increasing funding for education by upping the per pupil funding by an additional $450 over last year. We are also investing in a new Michigan Achievement Scholarship to provide up to $3,000 per year for students at Muskegon Community College, West Shore Community College and other community colleges throughout the state.”
Senate Bill 832 would invest $17.9 billion in K-12 education, a total increase of $938 million. After closing the per-pupil foundation allowance gap between schools last year, the Senate plan would use $630.5 million to increase the minimum foundation allowance by another $450 to $9,150 per student this year. It also would include $70 million to help address learning loss due to COVID-19 shutdowns.
Bumstead also noted Muskegon Family Care would receive $3.4 million from the state Health and Human Services budget to help in its efforts to support community members’ physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing.
The budget plan also made numerous investments in other key priorities.
It would also increase support to $55 million for the Going Pro program to provide grants to support employee training, provide $40 million for the Michigan Reconnect program to assist people seeking an associate degree or a trade certificate, provide $414.5 million to maintain the wage increase for direct-care workers instituted last year, and invest nearly $2 billion more in local government transportation funding to help fix local roads.
The budget bills also prioritize more revenue sharing funds for local governments and more resources to train and hire 170 new Michigan State Police troopers, and for an additional 800 corrections officers. It would also provide a $1 million increase for Secondary Road Patrol grants that help support emergency response and traffic enforcement on local county roads.
SBs 827-843 now head to the House of Representatives for consideration.