LANSING, Mich. (WZMQ) – Michigan’s law makers passed the 2024 state budget late Wednesday night. The $81 billion budget is the largest in state history.
State Senator Ed McBroom expressed his concern that the budget might be spending too much of the states surplus. Though Senator McBroom expressed support towards the investments into Upper Peninsula schools and increased spending on infrastructure. He says the budget will spend 95% of the states surplus, while still only devoting 1% of its funds to The UP.
“When it comes to budgetary issues, I think that we’ve done a lot better in the past,” Senator McBroom says, “and hopefully were going to be able to pursue some of that in the future and make sure that we are well accounted for when these kinds of projects are done.”
We also had the chance to speak with State Representative Jenn Hill about the new budget.
Hill says she’s excited to see the increase in in funding for special education and transportation in rural districts, as well as the approval of funding for new transportation and maintenance facility in Baraga County, dam and structure control in republic, and The Iron Ore Heritage Trail expansion project.
Most notably, she mentioned the $3 Million granted towards the renovations of the Vista Theater in Negaunee.
“Yeah, it’s a lot of money but it’s a lot of opportunity.” Hill says, “We all had to kind of shrink in after COVID and now were able, I’m really excited to say, that we’re going to be able to take advantage of these opportunities and really help our communities thrive.”
