The Senate
Appropriations committee reported a $147.5 million supplemental to Flint. SB
777, which allocates $105.46 million from General Fund and $42 million from
federal funding, was approved Wednesday. Chairman Senator Dave Hildenbrand
(R-Lowell) won four amendments to the bill. One included $1.3 million for the
attorney general to cover costs associated with the investigation and another ensured
Medicaid funding in the Department of Heath and Human Services appropriations.
Specifically,
SB 777 gives the Department of Education $25.6 million gross for nutrition
programs, childcare services, child care development fund reserve and lead
communications to child care providers. The Department of Environmental Quality
receives $33.35 million for utility infrastructure and filters, retaining
Detroit City water, 4 Full Time Employees (FTE’)s, and other needs. The
Department of Health and Human Services receives $29.15 million for a Medicaid
waiver, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families reserve, behavioral therapy,
home visits and nutrition support, food banks, and community education. The
Department of Natural Resources gets $250,000 for its summer youth program, the
School Aid Fund gets $9.2 million for Early On services, and the Department of
Transportation, Management and Budget will have a $50 million reserve.
Governor Rick
Snyder announced he would be drinking filtered Flint water for the next 30 days
in an attempt to show Flint residents that it is safe to drink. After much
distrust against the filters, Governor Snyder believes his actions will prove
the filters function perfectly.
Michigan
State University’s State of the State Survey shows Governor Snyder’s approval
rating far down. MSU Economics Professor Charles Ballard attributes the Flint
Water Crisis as a main reason. According to the survey, four out of seven
Michigan residents place the majority of the blame for the crisis on the
Governor, emergency manager Darnell Earley or state government generally. 44.1
percent of participants rated Governor Snyder’s performance as “poor,” 30.5
percent responded “fair,” and 20 percent said “good” with only 4.4 percent
saying “excellent.”
In a fall
2015 survey, 64.2 percent of Republicans rated the Governor as “excellent” or
“good,” however this number has dropped to 49.9 percent. Independents dropped
from 44.8 percent to 24.3 percent, and Democrats from 20.5 percent to 6.9
percent.