Whitmer Proposes Billion-Dollar Spending Increase Weeks After Calling for Cuts
Lansing, MI – Today’s budget recommendation from the Whitmer Administration has a lot of folks scratching their heads.
Just a few weeks ago, Whitmer called for spending cuts in Lansing to ‘fix the damn roads’. Her direct quote:
“To my fellow Democrats: fiscally-responsible cuts will need to be a part of the solution. Michigan families and businesses have already tightened their belts because of high costs. We should do the same and focus our resources on the stuff that matters most: roads, schools, safety. Let’s lead by example.”
But Whitmer appears to be pivoting on those calls with her budget recommendation today, proposing a billion-dollar spending increase compared to last year’s $82.5 billion budget. And with Whitmer’s road funding plan coming next week, more spending increase proposals could be just around the corner.
“Governor Whitmer cannot have her cake and eat it too. She can only flip flop on this for so long until her political games wear thin with Michigan taxpayers, who’d much rather see more bang for their buck or a tax cut,” said Zach Rudat, Advocacy Director for Michigan Freedom Fund. “The Whitmer of today should listen to the Whitmer of yesterday: it is absolutely time to rein in out-of-control spending in Lansing, and work with Republicans to get back to basics.”
If today’s budget recommendation is enacted, that would amount to a nearly 44% increase in state spending since Whitmer took office. If Whitmer proposes new spending in her roads plan next week, that number would substantially grow.
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