Schools, local governments spared from cuts under Michigan budget deal

LANSING — Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's administration and Republican legislative leaders said Monday they've agreed to a framework for the 2021 budget that will protect funding for K-12 schools and local governments despite revenue declines associated with COVID-19.

While additional details were not announced — and other spending cuts are expected — the tentative agreement means Whitmer and GOP leaders appear poised to avoid the kind of prolonged budget battle that led to a near-government shutdown last year.

That's notable, especially given partisan rancor over Whitmer's emergency orders intended to slow the spread of a novel coronavirus that has put the economy into recession and reduced state tax collections.

The pandemic has an "unprecedented impact on our state budget," but spending targets set as part of the bipartisan deal "will provide critical funding for our key priorities such as education, health care and skills training," state Budget Director Chris Kolb said in a statement.

Read more: https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-government/schools-local-governments-spared-cuts-under-michigan-budget-deal