Budget: Done and Done

When Michigan Governor Rick Snyder first set the May 31^st goal of completing the fiscal year (FY) 2012 budget, many Lansing insiders, and even veteran lawmakers, reacted with what can best be described as a “yeah…right.” Without a single all-night session, and five full days ahead of the May 31^st deadline, the Legislature did just that – completed work on the FY 2012 budget Thursday.

The Governor was flanked by legislative leaders and officials from his administration at a mid-day press conference praising the remarkably early completion of the budget debate. The budget was passed in the form of two omnibus bills, House Bill 4325 and House Bill 4526, reflecting the contents of all 16 budget bills agreed-to by conference committees.

House Bill 4325, the education portion of the budget, passed the House of Representatives on a vote of 59-50 with four Republicans joining all Democrats in voting no. The Republican no-votes were Representatives Kurt Heise (R-Plymouth), Holly Hughes (R-Montague), Paul Muxlow (R-Brown City) and Pat Somerville (R-New Boston). Representative Harold Haugh (D-Roseville) remains at home recovering from surgery.

The $12.7 billion budget moved through the Senate, also with room to spare – securing passage on a 21-17 vote. Senators Bruce Caswell (R-Hillsdale), Goeff Hansen (R-Hart), Rick Jones (R-Grand Ledge), Mike Nofs (R-Battle Creek) and Tory Rocca (R-Sterling Heights) voted no with all 12 Democrats. In another sign of unity, the vote for immediate effect passed 26-12 with all Republicans voting yes amidst considerable pressure not to do so.

House Bill 4526, the $8.3 billion, 649-page general fund budget, received only one no-vote among Republicans in the House – that of Representative Thomas Hooker (R-Byron Center). The measure, representing a $32.4 million cut from the FY 2011 budget, passed the Senate 23-15. Senators Caswell, Nofs and Rocca voted no.

posted by PAA Online , Friday, May 27, 2011 10:08 AM
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