This is the annual omnibus spending bill which covers everything except education. It was a spending free-for-all this year with 65% of the $1.3 billion dollars spent being pork projects (earmarks). Most of those pork projects are being proposed last minute. Omnibus spending bills are used by legislators to hide their wasteful projects. Rather than up or down votes on given projects which require an open vote, the legislature waits until the last minute and dumps all of the spending into a single omnibus bill. It normally passes without anyone having read it. Both parties are guilty of gaming the system like this for their personal pork with no accountability.
Governor Whitmer cited revenue projections in her budget proposal expecting a $2.5 billion surplus. However, revenue projections are rarely correct. And the actual money coming into government coffers this year has sharply declined. And given the state of businesses in Michigan, it is only going to get worse.
Citizen’s Research Council article on this year’s pork.
Sen. Nesbitt voted no. But in a secret vote, he voted for immediate effect to help the Democrats spend their pork faster.
Wendzel voted no.
Bill passed and signed by governor.
Signed into law July 31, 2023: PA 119 of 2023