Whitmer wants Republicans to help adjust Michigan budget

Oct. 2--LANSING -- Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who used line-item vetoes to make close to $1 billion in cuts to the 2020 budget passed by the Legislature, on Wednesday urged Republican lawmakers to negotiate a supplemental appropriations bill to put the budget right.

"I can only clean up so much of this unilaterally," Whitmer told reporters in her Capitol office. She said she wanted to work with Republican leaders to "find some common ground."

Whitmer said she is ready to sign a supplemental bill that "protects education, public safety, and public health."

But Republican legislative leaders on Wednesday appeared in no hurry to get to work on a new spending plan.

"The budget is done," said Sen. Mike Shirkey, R-Clarklake.

While Shirkey said he is concerned about many of the budget items vetoed by Whitmer and would like to see many of them restored, he said he is also ready to move on to other issues, including road funding.

"I'm frustrated for the state of Michigan," but would consider a list of line-item vetoes the governor wants reversed if she presents such a list, he said.

Since Monday night, in an extraordinary use of her executive powers, Whitmer:

-- Used 147 line-item vetoes to cut $947 million in spending from the $59-billion budget sent to her by the Republican-controlled Legislature. Of the spending cut by veto, about $555 million was from the general fund, the state's main checking account.

-- Used State Administrative Board powers to shift more than $600 million within 13 different state agencies.

-- Declared unenforceable 72 different items of "boilerplate" language directing how money should be spent. Whitmer said that in each case, the conditions set by the Legislature violated the state constitution or Michigan statutes.

Whitmer has scheduled a meeting with the "quadrant" -- the four House and Senate leaders from each party -- for Thursday. House Speaker Lee Chatfield, R-Levering, and Shirkey have said they plan to attend.

On Wednesday, Whitmer said she is working with Sen. Curtis Hertel, D-East Lansing, on a supplemental appropriations bill as a basis for negotiations with Republican lawmakers. She said the bill should include:

-- A reversal of cuts to the Michigan Department of Corrections she said would end programs such as the Vocational Village that have improved recidivism rates by helping offenders return to the workforce, force the closure of up to two prisons, and restrict efforts to monitor sex offenders and other felons through the use of electronic tethers.

-- Adequately fund the Department of Health and Human Services "so it has the resources it needs to carry out its core mission and protect public health."

-- Increase funding for literacy coaches to help Michigan close its achievement gap with other states.

-- Fund the Michigan Reconnect program to "start closing the skills gap in Michigan."

Whitmer's veto cuts affected a huge range of state programs, many of which hit Republican causes and districts especially hard. They included $375 million in road funding from the general fund, the Pure Michigan tourism promotion program, cuts to charter school funding, and a range of programs affecting counties, townships and other rural areas.

Whitmer said she took the actions because the budget she received was "a mess" due to Republican leaders finalizing it without her input. Shirkey and Chatfield say Whitmer walked away from the negotiating table. Whitmer said talks broke down because of "ultimatums" they gave her about using general fund money to fix roads. But she denies she walked away from the table.

Gideon D'Assandro, a spokesman for Chatfield, said Whitmer "went to the media with her demands" after three weeks of no contact with the speaker.

"The speaker has not seen her list," D'Assandro said. "But he is shocked she is using children's safety, road repairs, veterans' benefits, and people with autism as political pawns for leverage to help her get her pet projects and a gas tax hike."

Contact Paul Egan: 517-372-8660 or pegan@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @paulegan4. Read more on Michigan politics and sign up for our elections newsletter.

___

(c)2019 the Detroit Free Press

Visit the Detroit Free Press at www.freep.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.