Tuesday, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed the bipartisan fiscal year 2026 budget into law.
According to the governor's office, the budget includes funding for local and state roads, tax cuts for seniors and working families, funding for public safety, and protections for health care services.
The budget totals $81 billion, including a general fund of $14.1 billion.
As part of the budget deal, House Speaker Hall and Senate Majority Leader Brinks both agreed to pass bipartisan legislation before the end of the year to help create and retain jobs in Michigan.
House Democratic Leader Ranjeev Puri says the budget "protects universal free meals and Medicaid."
Also included in the budget is a removal of state taxes on tips, overtime pay, and Social Security payments, putting more money back into Michiganders' pockets.
“This balanced budget delivers on the kitchen table issues that make a real difference in people's lives,” said Governor Whitmer.
K-12 Alliance of Michigan Executive Director Robert McCann expressed frustrations on the budget, saying that, "lawmakers delayed the school budget for months, forcing schools to reopen their doors this year without any funding certainty whatsoever, to keep a road funding deal alive that diverts $1.35 billion from the School Aid Fund, a $400 million increase over last year’s diversion."
McCann says the diversions impact students' education and "make it harder to provide the literacy support, mental-health services, and teaching talent our students need to succeed."
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