LANSING, Mich. — Sen. Ed McBroom on Friday voted for a fiscal year 2023 state budget that increases funding for K-12 schools, reduces debt, and provides millions to support Upper Peninsula communities.
“I am pleased the budget we approved today respects the people’s money by not increasing taxes,” said McBroom, R-Waucedah Township. “The budget also continues the practice of investing more in K-12 education, roads and infrastructure, keeping our communities safe, supporting job training, and paying down debt.”
Included in House Bill 5783, which is the general omnibus budget, which includes millions in support for the U.P.
The D.J. Jacobetti Home for Veterans will receive $34.2 million to replace the current, outdated facility and continue its mission of taking care of our state’s military veterans; over $75 million in redevelopment funds to address blight; $15 million for economic development in the U.P., particularly focused on housing development; $10 million for Buffalo Reef for a dock jetty and to dredge harmful stamp sands out of Lake Superior; $550,000 for Chippewa County for rail replacement and infrastructure to increase propane storage; and $250,000 for the Great Lakes Substance Abuse Recovery Center for a new facility to provide addiction services.
“The funds dedicated for the U.P. in this budget will go a long way toward making sure our veterans continue to get the care they need and deserve, restore the viability of our shoreline, and improve our economic competitiveness,” McBroom said.
HB 5783 also includes:
- $2.3 billion to help fix local roads and bridges.
- $1.7 billion to fix state highway roadways and bridges.
- $750 million to help local governments meet their pension obligations and free up more funds for critical local services.
- $325 million for a new state psychiatric hospital complex.
- $414.5 million to maintain wage increases for direct care workers.
- $110 million for the Going Pro and Michigan Reconnect training programs.
- $35.9 million family maintenance rate increase for foster families, adoptive families, and juvenile guardians.
- Funding to train new state police troopers and corrections officers.
“As positive as these investments are, I remain disappointed that the tax relief and reforms we have voted for have been rejected by the governor multiple times,” McBroom said. “Now that the budget is done, and we’ve made significant investment in state infrastructure and education, I hope we can negotiate relief for families out of the remaining surplus of over $7 billion.”
Senate Bill 845 is an education budget that features an increase in K-12 school funding to $19.6 billion and uses $630.5 million to increase the minimum foundation allowance by $450 to $9,150 per student. It also provides $295 million to address student mental health, $305 million in scholarship funding to help address teacher shortages, $168 million in school safety grants, and nearly $1.5 billion for the school employee’s retirement system to put more resources in the classroom.
SB 845 includes a 5% increase for university and community college operations, $300 million to pay down debt in the higher education retirement system, and $250 million in a fund for a new student scholarship program, details for which will be negotiated this summer.
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