Senate Republicans Complete Biased Budget

Senate Democratic Leader Gretchen Whitmer railed against the Senate Republicans' final budget bills today that complete their two-year plan of drastic cuts to schools in order to continue tax breaks for businesses”all without creating tangible jobs.

“Yet again, Senate Republicans have treated the School Aid Fund that voters implemented to fund our K-12 schools as their personal piggy bank, stealing $1.5 billion out of it over the last two years to pay for their other reckless priorities,” said Whitmer. “Our businesses and our economic future are dependent on the education and preparation of our young people, but Senate Republicans continue to make public education their lowest priority.”

Senate Democrats maintained their strong opposition to the Republican budget that has been present all week, again offering up a number of amendments to the budget bills before the Senate today that would protect the School Aid Fund and increase ethics and transparency in government spending. All of the Democratic amendments were defeated by Senate Republicans.

“Senate Republicans continue to compromise Michigan's future with their misguided values and funding priorities, but they went even further today, not just voting to put big business before our kids, but standing up and defending their misguided actions,” added Whitmer. “We can still invest while paying off our debts, but it takes vision and conviction, something the Republican leadership in the Senate and in the state seem to be lacking.”