Waterford Today

Michigan's Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer used her executive power line-item veto 147 times on the state budget just hours before a government shutdown. 

The recent breakdown in budget negotiations has led to frustration on both sides of the aisle and caused concern among Republicans. Budget cuts and administrative transfers amass to around $1 billion in various areas including roads, schools and public safety, leaving GOP lawmakers scratching their heads and searching for answers. 

State Rep. Matt Maddock (R-Milford) told Waterford Today the budget is a loss for Michigan voters and taxpayers.

Michigan state Sen. Ruth Johnson (R-Holly) | https://www.senatorruthjohnson.com

"We gave her almost half a billion dollars that we found within existing budgets without taxing our citizens again," Maddock said. "We did our job. We went into our budgets, we found almost half a billion dollars for her, we put it in her lap and she threw it off the top of the capitol. I don't get it." 

State Sen. Andrea Schroeder (R-Clarkston) said she is proud of the effort that went into creating the budget on time and points out that the number of budget cuts made by the governor indicates there was some wiggle room in the numbers.

"The governor proved we have waste in our budget, almost a billion dollars according to her vetoes," said Schroeder. "Clearly, a tax is not the only alternative, and it is definitely not the alternative my constituents have advocated for."

Maddock said that due to the unpopularity of increasing taxes, he would like to use money already within the budgets to repair roads throughout Michigan, rather than Gov. Whitmer's proposed 45-cent-per-gallon gas tax that has little support in the state.

"There is virtually no support for the governor’s 45-cent gas tax increase," said state Sen. Ruth Johnson (R-Holly). "The governor cut nearly $1 billion from the balanced budget approved by the legislature. She needs to think about the impact this is having and work to help us restore funding to important programs. Thankfully, we did not have a shutdown because the governor signed all of the budget bills. However, she made nearly $1 billion in vetoes and she moved another $625 million out of important programs using what are called 'administrative transfers.' Among the governor’s cuts were funding for autism and Alzheimer’s programs and $128 million for schools."

Though the Governor has called for road repairs since her campaign, Johnson said many people were shocked because a lot of the cuts made in the vetoes didn't pertain to the roads. 

"Some of the vetoes I think she could have defended – even if you disagree with her – but when you look at the list of the cuts and transfers she made, even those in her own party I think are shocked," Johnson said. "Most of the cuts that were made have nothing to do with road funding. I was particularly disappointed with her elimination of funding for private well-water testing. This issue has been a longtime passion of mine and is why I first got involved as a citizen activist. People deserve to know what is in the water their families are drinking."