Governor Gretchen Whitmer used her executive powers to cut funding and move money to better reflect her priorities in the new state budget.
The governor used her veto pen to strike out 147 line items. She also asked for and got approval from a state board to move around almost $600 million to better fit her budget priorities.
Whitmer says she struck one-time funds for roads from the budget because it’s not enough to fix the problem. And she says the Pure Michigan tourism campaign was a tough cut as well.
But, Whitmer added, “I want the people of Michigan to rest assured, this is not the end of the conversation. It’s just the beginning.”
The governor says the actions were necessary to set the stage for new negotiations with the Legislature’s leaders. Whitmer says she’d like to repair relationships with Republicans and come up with a new budget that’s more acceptable to everyone.
“Can it be mended? Of course," she said. "I think we’ve got a great opportunity ahead of us. But no one in this town should be surprised that I used every tool at my disposal to fix these budgets and protect public health and safety.”
The governor’s asked the four House and Senate leaders to resume talks on Thursday. Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey says he will be there.
