Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s $79 billion budget proposal is getting high marks from state Representative Joey Andrews. He tells us among the items that will benefit southwest Michigan is a 10% increase in revenue sharing for local communities. That’s not all.
“It puts $50 million of recurring investment into the housing fund, which is a huge issue for my whole district and most of the state right now,” Andrews said. “It also puts $50 million of recurring investment into placemaking, which is sort of this new concept of taking existing places and renovating them, turning them into something new or improving them in some way.”
Andrews says some budget items are targeted at rural areas.
“$25 million for public transportation that was specifically targeted at cities and villages with less than 10,000 people. There are many such cities and villages in Berrien County.”
Also included are an increase of the Earned Income Tax Credit, expanded eligibility for the Michigan Reconnect program, and a 5% increase in per pupil funding for schools. Meanwhile, Andrews says Democrats are pushing $180 checks for all taxpayers in lieu of a decrease of the state income tax from 4.25% to 4.05%, as called for by a state law. He says that tax cut would only amount to about $18 per year for the average earner. The checks are an alternative.
