'Worst run state': Michigan Dems slammed for passing budget that focuses on ‘pork projects’ after giving Republicans only 45 mins to read it

WASHINGTON, DC: Michigan Democrats have enacted an expansive $83 billion state budget, reducing teachers' pensions and school safety allocations to finance new business ventures and over $330 million for legislators' favored projects.

Republicans faced challenges on Thursday, June 27, having been allotted approximately 45 minutes to review the bill, a document exceeding 1,000 pages, as stated by State Representative Ann Bollin.

Dem Gov Gretchen Whitmer announced balanced and bipartisan budget for Michigan

“That’s right, another balanced, bipartisan budget in the books that will make a real difference in people’s lives,” Democratic Gov Gretchen Whitmer tweeted after the passage.

However, Bollin stated that the budget was hardly bipartisan.

“The budget passed out of the Michigan House of Representatives on party lines,” she told the New York Post.

She added, “There was not one Republican that voted for that budget. So she is speaking on behalf of one chamber. It was not bipartisan in both chambers. That budget that is sent to her was partisan and politically directed, in my opinion.”

With control of the statehouse, state Senate, and governorship, Michigan Democrats are not required to seek bipartisan support.

They can enact comprehensive measures without Republican input.

A notable change in the budget includes a reduction in the total contributions to teachers' pension funds to allocate funds elsewhere.

Gov Gretchen Whitmer has allocated $133 million for school safety and mental-health programs

Additionally, there has been a significant reduction in funding for a particular school safety and mental health program, from $328 million to $25 million.

Overall, Governor Whitmer has allocated $133 million for such programs, which represents a substantial decrease from prior years.

This does not imply that Democrats are skimping on education spending. The budget allocates a total of $19 billion for school aid, distributed across various programs, including $200 million for providing free meals to public school students.

Additionally, with their significant influence over Michigan's governmental institutions, Democrats are also designating substantial funds for particular businesses.

As state Rep. Mike Harris said, “The budget earmarks $17 million for zoos, $2 million for a boxing gym, $5 million for a theater, more than $18 million for a few sports complexes and fieldhouses, $1 million for a public radio station in Detroit, and hundreds of millions more for a wide variety of other projects and entities.”

Mike Harris criticizes Gov Gretchen Whitmer's administration for wasteful spending

Mike Harris describes these initiatives as “pork projects and other wasteful spending.” Additionally, Harris charged that Whitmer's administration had a "record of unwise spending," citing the fact that “an ally of Gov."

Gretchen Whitmer was awarded a $20 million earmark for a new company she created, and she used the funding to buy a $4,500 coffee maker and a first-class international plane ticket.”

The budget allocates $60 million to the Whitmer-proposed Michigan Innovation Fund, yet it lacks any guidelines for grant distribution.

Its rapid approval is typical of Whitmer's Michigan, where there is seemingly no ceiling for Democratic spending initiatives. The budget now awaits Whitmer's final endorsement.

Gov Gretchen Whitmer faces criticism on social media

Whitmer received criticism as soon as the news went viral on social media. A user wrote, "WORST RUN STATE...and Whitmer wants to be president!"

Another user slammed, "And we're supposed to consider this partisan goon for president."

The third commentator wrote with a red flag emoji, "So Whitmer cut teachers pension, cut school safety, and cut mental health great job Democrats control of my state mental health when we need it to deal both the gov and president."

"all democrats in the office are puppets, Biden is just the most obvious," One said.

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