STORY UPDATED 9:45 P.M.:Governor Gretchen Whitmer and legislative Democratic leaders, under criticism for initial tax cut legislation that favored public sector retirees with pensions and omitted any aid for the majority of workers, announced significant changes Monday to their proposals to address both matters.
The governor and Democratic leadership announced agreement on a plan to cut taxes Friday afternoon, but few details were provided beyond rebate checks to be sent directly to state taxpayers for a still undetermined amount of money.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the Democratic-led Legislature are trying to combine the rollback of taxes on retirement, expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit and creation of an ongoing funding source for the Strategic Outreach Attraction and Reserve Fund in a way that would prevent an expected income tax rate cut.
Democrats unleashed a massive $1.1 billion supplemental spending bill on Thursday. The bill, in part, served to close the books on the 2021-2022 legislative term, but also included more than $900 million for economic and community development.
Republican members of the Legislature criticized Governor Gretchen Whitmer's State of the State address for being vague and lacking in detail on policies, such as how the state plans to pay for universal preschool and expanding access to community college.
A sustainable source of funding for the state's economic development goals and a pledge to continue funding law enforcement at high levels in the next budget were just one of several highlights from Governor Gretchen Whitmer's fifth State of the State address.
The House's vote on a book-closing supplemental bill was delayed by a baby on Tuesday.
Supporters of an increase to the Earned Income Tax Credit told a Senate panel Tuesday the proposal would be a huge help to families in need by steering them towards the workforce and in pulling them out of poverty.
House committees and subcommittees are finally in place after a week of adjustments and minor changes by the Democratic majority.
A story in Wednesday's Michigan report on the GOP's support for Michigan's expected income tax cut should have listed Minority Leader Matt Hall's hometown as Richland Township. The same story misspelled the name of Treasurer Rachael Eubanks.