Governor Gretchen Whitmer presented her recommendations for a balanced fiscal year 2025 state budget on Feb. 7, which totals $80.7 billion and includes $14.3 billion in General Fund and $19 billion in School Aid monies. The budget focuses on improving public safety and public health, lowering costs, economic development, expanding education opportunities and rebuilding the infrastructure. Next week, hearings begin in the Legislature, through subcommittees of the Appropriations Committee in each chamber to begin work on the budget.

Whitmer proposed the following funding for Public Safety in 2025: 

• $11 million: Statutory revenue sharing (2% one-time) for public safety, including employee recruitment, retention, training, and equipment for first responders
• $5 million: Establish training, recruitment and retention grants to support local law enforcement agencies
• $5.5 million: Community violence intervention services
• $10 million: Lifecycle upgrades to the state’s safety communication system
• $11.9 million: Continue implementing improvements based on recommendations of the Task Force on Juvenile Justice Reform
• $6.3 million: Increase offender success through education, training, and reentry programs
• $1.4 million: Protect the State Capitol by increasing the capacity of the Michigan State Police to safeguard those who work in and visit the Capitol and Heritage Hall

Public health proposed funding includes: $193.3 million to establish new Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics sites; $15.7 million to continue the Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies program to provide new and expectant mothers the care they need and reduce racial disparities in infant and maternal mortality; $46 million to change the Family Independence Program; $24 million in new funds to communities that identify innovative approaches to support expectant parents and newborns; and $15 million to reduce energy bills for low-income households.

Cost savings funding proposals include: $37.5 million for an annual $5,000 tax credit for families who care for an aging or sick relative; $25 million for a $1,000 rebate when buying a new vehicle ($2,000 when buying an electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle), with an additional $500 rebate for union-assembled vehicles.

Educational funding proposed for K-12 includes: $370 million to support school operations through a 2.5% increase in base per-pupil funding (an additional $241 per student or $9,849 per pupil total); $300 million to continue investing in student mental health and school safety; $251.2 million to help students reach their full academic potential, including continued payments for literacy grants and literacy coaches. 

Please click on the Karoub Report - Feb. 9, 2024 edition below for more details on Whitmer’s proposed fiscal year 2025 budget, which also includes funding recommendations for economic development, infrastructure improvements and higher education.