by State Rep. Tom Leonard<\/p>\n
Michigan\u2019s Legislature has once again completed its budget months ahead of schedule, proving to the rest of the country again that we are the \u201ccomeback state.\u201d<\/p>\n
For the past five years, the Republican-led House and Senate have produced balanced, efficient budgets four months before the October 1 deadline. This common-sense approach to budgeting will now enable school districts and municipalities to plan their budgets without fear of layoffs to teachers and police officers mid-way through their budget years. The days of government shutdowns that left our local governments vulnerable and \u201cguesstimating\u201d their state funding are now a distant memory.<\/p>\n
This year, as in the past four, we have crafted a budget that gives hard-working Michigan taxpayers the biggest bang for their buck. Education, public safety and infrastructure remain the top priorities. This budget also pays down debt that has been accumulated by generations of prior legislatures. We refuse to kick the can down the road; we will not leave this debt for our children.<\/p>\n
This budget includes nearly $16 billion for education, bringing state funding for education in Michigan to an all-time high. Most importantly, we again made strides to bridge the gap between the highest- and lowest-funded schools. Each Clinton and Gratiot County school located in the 93rd District will receive a foundational increase of $140 per student. Nearly $900 million will help public schools pay down their teacher retirement debt that has been strangling school budgets for years. The Legislature remains dedicated to paying down this debt so that our children will see more money in the classroom in the years ahead.<\/p>\n
Michigan\u2019s roads and bridges also represent a top priority in this budget. After Proposal 1\u2019s sound defeat, the House introduced a long-term, sustainable plan that uses existing funds and re-prioritizes other money to fix and maintain our roads. We jump-start that recovery with the budget we just passed, dedicating an additional $400 million to our transportation budget to benefit both state highways and local road projects. I did not support Proposal 1, and I have always strived to find a road-funding solution that doesn\u2019t burden taxpayers. While we must continue to work on a long-term solution, I was proud to see these additional funds allocated to roads without raising taxes on our hard-working citizens.<\/p>\n
Before 2010, the state\u2019s cupboard was all but bare \u2013 the Rainy Day Fund had only $1 million, enough to operate state government for 30 minutes. This budget allocates $95 million towards our Rainy Day Fund, which will now have a fund balance over $500 million.<\/p>\n
Last month, Michigan\u2019s unemployment rate dropped to 5.4 percent and finally hit the national average for the first time in 15 years. I have no doubt that responsible budgeting over the past five years has contributed significantly to this recovery. Once again, the Legislature has delivered a budget months ahead of schedule, paying down debt and investing in the areas most important to our state \u2013 education, public safety and infrastructure. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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