(Source: MIRS.news, Published 08/03/2023) Along with several boilerplate cuts included in her veto letter to the state House, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer vetoed a $2 million community enhancement grant to the Livingston County Catholic Charities, which Executive Director Adam Perry said was intended for purchasing a new property.
The Governor signed HB 4437, the more than $57.3 billion omnibus budget bill, in Wyandotte on Monday, with only two line item vetoes: the Livingston County Catholic Charities funding and a $5 million allocation of federal COVID-19 recovery dollars to the Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) to repair Wayne County's sewer infrastructure.
A source close to the budget process told MIRS the GLWA line item was vetoed in light of the ongoing suit against Highland Park for unpaid water bills. The debt negotiations are still ongoing, and the state doesn’t want to get in the middle.
The $20.3 million to forgive Highland Park’s water debt also did not make it into the final legislative budget recommendation.
A request for comment to GLWA was met with a response that team members were offsite and not available for comment. However, CEO Suzanne Coffey said in a statement to Crain's Detroit, "We are disappointed by this action. Nonetheless, we look forward to having an opportunity to meet with the Governor and her team to discuss the important role that regional water infrastructure plays for Michigan and our future."
But Perry spoke to MIRS about the Livingston County Catholic Charities, which provides community programming for seniors, people with disabilities and those struggling with mental health and substance abuse, and has been renting a space ever since its start in 1985.
Perry said this year, they’ve been looking to expand.
He said the group, and other Catholic Charities in neighboring counties, create new services as community needs arise.
With a large aging population in Livingston County, their programming in senior services has expanded, with a recently created home injury control and chore program to help keep seniors in their homes.
Perry said the request for funding, which was brought to the Legislature by Rep. Ann Bollin (R-Brighton), was for a permanent space that would allow the group to expand more programs and hire additional staff.
“When you’re renting, you’re not going to be just knocking walls down to add programs,” he said.
But the expansion won’t be funded by the state this year, after Whitmer vetoed the line item when signing the budget.
When asked if the Governor’s office communicated with him about the decision to veto the funding, Perry said he doesn’t have anything more than speculation.
“We have a good relationship with Ann Bollin, who was the one who submitted it for us,” he said, “Any of the political side, I don't know.”
Bollin was not in a position to comment on Thursday.
When asked for more information as to why the items were vetoed, Whitmer’s Press Secretary Stacey Larouche said “for any line item that was not fully negotiated, we will continue to evaluate needs and work with our partners toward a solution.”
“With any budget, it is important for our office and the Legislature to work together on a negotiated, balanced and bipartisan budget,” she said.
Perry said the request for state funding was just one chance to get the new building, but the group is still looking to expand.
“We’re still chugging along,” he said. “We’re going to continue to exist.”
According to data compiled by MIRS, four special projects were approved in the budget for Livingston County, part of a total $2.06 billion in special projects found for 2024.
In the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) budget, the Freedom River Veteran Recreational Center in Brighton got $5 million from the General Fund, which was tied to Rep. Jennifer Conlin (D-Ann Arbor)’s district.
All four projects were located within Sen. Lana Theis (R-Brighton)’ district.
The Michigan Fitness Foundation Farm-to-Family, also in Conlin’s district, received $500,000, and the Livingston Arts Council in Rep. Robert Bezotte (R-Howell)’s district, also known as the Hollow Opera Center, received $2 million from the General Fund.
In the Department of Transportation budget, White Lake Road in Fenton received a $1.4 million appropriation for repairs.
Perry said he did notice the widespread support for Livingston County in the budget, “and we still appreciate all the support that was given to Livingston as a community.
“We want to just continue to work with all the variety of partners,” he said, in a political sense, “but also just in general, in the community, to do more.”
Whitmer’s veto letter did not mention the two line items. It did refer to several boilerplate provisions the Governor ruled were unenforceable due to state constitutional violations. In most cases, it was the Legislature requiring the executive branch to take action that necessitated a state law.
Those boilerplate items included provisions in the Transportation Department budget (MDOT) to create a Michigan state transportation innovation council, “to review innovative road materials and innovative road and bridge design and construction specifications.”
The council’s membership requirements included a representative of the Department of Transportation - Federal Highway Administration (DOT-FHWA), an appointee chosen by the House Speaker and one chosen by the Senate Majority Leader.
The same provision was present in the 2022 budget.
Appropriations Transportation Subcommittee Chair Rep. Ranjeev Puri (D-Canton) did not respond to a request for more information on the program.
In the General Government budget, the Governor removed a provision that a department audited by the Auditor General must report their progress to the Legislature within six months, along with a provision that the Auditor General can’t be denied access to confidential information of any branch, department, office, board, commission, agency, authority or institution of this state.”
Whitmer also removed a provision in the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) budget that removed the authority of MDARD to take disciplinary action against “an employee of the department in the state classified civil service” for communicating with a House or Senate member or their staff, “unless the communication is prohibited by law.” The same “unenforceable” tag applied to similar language put in other state department budgets.
Also removed from MDARD boilerplate dealing with state administrative board fund transfer and a provision that the Department not expend appropriations unless all existing work project authorization for the same purposes is exhausted. The same “unenforceable” tag applied to similar language put in other state department budgets.
From the LEO budget, she again said any expanded Auditor General powers couldn't be enforced.
