GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WSYM) - Governor Rick Snyder has officially signed Michigan's 2018 budget.
The $56.5 billion budget, Snyder says, includes record spending on K-12 schools, including a big boost for at-risk students and to buy equipment for career and technical education programs.
Snyder was joined by State Superintendent Brian Whiston, TED Director Roger Curtis, state Sen. Dave Hildenbrand, and Kent County ISD Superintendent Ron Caniff.
The bills were signed Friday in Grand Rapids at the Kent Intermediate School District.
Some students joined in as well.
“If I was their age, I’d be really excited to come see a budget signed,” said Snyder.
Governor Snyder and key legislators came to an agreement on the budget in early June.
A budget the governor says will make a difference.
“We should be really proud of this budget,” said Snyder. “We've gotten the budget done on time for years now and if you look at other states around the nation they’re struggling.”
The budget includes a two percent increase in higher education funding along with funding for students considered "at risk."
$35 billion has been set aside for helping repair our crumbling Michigan roads and bridges.
Look for 150 more state troopers to be hired along with extra DNR conservation officers.
Not to mention extra payments towards newly hired teachers’ 401(k) only retirement plan.
“We’re able to make these investments while still making a $200 million debt payment, depositing $150 million into our states budget stabilization fund,” said Senator Dave Hildenbrand, (R)- Lowell. “The budget puts Michigan families first and builds an even stronger state foundation for future generations.”
With education seeming to be the day’s theme, the governor hopes next year's budget sends a message to those in education.
“We believe making smart investments in you will make a big difference in our entire state, our nation, and the world,” said Snyder.
The $56.5 billion spending plan will take effect on October 1.
This is the seventh year in a row the budget has been signed before the fiscal year ends on September 30.
In a press release, the governor’s office highlighted the following items in the fiscal year 2018 budget :
- Provides a total of $115.5 million for business attraction and community revitalization efforts.
- Funds the Going Pro program with more than $46.4 million to provide Michigan workers with the skills they need for in-demand jobs, whether it’s skilled trades, information technology, or other high demand occupations.
- Adds $9.5 million to the Community Ventures program to support the continued effort to promote social enterprise in the state’s most distressed urban areas.
- A total of $4.7 million to support the attraction of new, mid-sized food and agriculture processing. This funding also supports a new full-time staff member in the International Marketing and Export Assistance program.
- A total increase in state funding for K-12 education of $1.9 billion since fiscal year 2011, with an increased foundation allowance of $60 - $120 per pupil in this year’s budget.
- An increase of $120 million for at-risk youth focused on improving academic achievement for children in difficult financial situations, providing for a 24-percent increase in eligible students.
- Additional support for the Pathways to Potential program to combat chronic absenteeism in schools and link families with appropriate community resources.
- Funding for First Robotics increased to $2.8 million while STEM grants are enhanced and programs moved to regional STEM centers.
- The education omnibus complements the work of Gov. Snyder’s 21st Century Education Commission.
- An increase of 2 percent for university operations and an increase of at least 3 percent for community college operations (including excess Personal Property Tax payments).
- Increased student financial aid resources of $16.3million.
- Tuition increases are held to no more than 3.8 percent, or $475 per student (whichever is greater), helping to keep college costs down.
- Incorporates the funding needed to support the 2015 transportation package to ensure we continue on the path to fixing our roads.
- New funding of $35 million added to the Michigan Infrastructure Fund.
- An investment of $115 million for the Department of Health and Human Services Caro Center replacement for a new state psychiatric hospital.
- Extensive capital outlay funding for the state’s universities and colleges that will primarily support STEM and health care fields.
- Supplemental funding of $2 million to implement the statewide asset management database which better aligns and coordinates infrastructure projects.
- Additional investment in another Michigan State Police trooper recruit school aimed at producing 150 new troopers, bringing trooper strength to its highest level in more than 15 years.
- Ongoing appropriations in the areas of cyber and homeland security.
- Investments in the statewide public safety communication systems to replace outdated equipment to help ensure quick and effective first response.
- $5 million is included for the DNR Enhance Challenge for Trail Development to help build out the 2,000 miles of hiking and biking trails from Ironwood to Belle Isle.
- Provides funding for the hiring, training, and outfitting of additional conservation officers.
- Increases to the Wetland Mitigation Banking program in the amount of $3.8 million.
- Helps fight Chronic Wasting Disease in whitetail deer, with $1 million allocated, with additional resources going to promote conservation and fight invasive species.
- Total investment of $4.1 billion, primarily federal dollars, in the Healthy Michigan Program providing expanded Medicaid coverage to thousands of Michiganders.
- Funding of the Vapor Intrusion Program which addresses contaminated soil and ground water.
- A total of $45 million to support direct care worker wages, providing a 50-cent per hour increase to those who provide critical services to Michigan residents within the behavioral health system.
- Funds an additional 72 full-time employees within the state’s psychiatric hospitals totaling $4.9 million from the general fund.
- $150 million deposit into the Budget Stabilization Fund, which continues the fiscally responsible approach to building the state’s savings account, bringing the rainy day fund balance to $886 million in fiscal year 2018, up from $2 million in 2010.
- Reduced the assumed rate of return from 8 percent to 7.5 percent for the state’s retirement system, keeping Michigan in line with the fiscally responsible movement toward more conservative assumptions.
Click here to read the full budget.
