State Rep. Ann Bollin on Wednesday voted against a wasteful spending plan, which drains the state’s multibillion-dollar surplus, creates new, unnecessary programs, and neglects the most essential needs in Michigan communities.

In voting against the $81.7 billion budget, Bollin criticized Democrats for unsustainably expanding the state’s budget.

“This budget is full of wasteful spending that grows our bureaucracy in ways that Michigan taxpayers simply will not be able to sustain in future years,” said Bollin, R-Brighton Township. “Instead of growing government, we should be looking for ways to reduce the burden on our taxpayers, who continue to feel the pinch of inflation.”

Despite spending through the state’s surplus, which started the year at $9 billion, the Democrats’ budget distributes no additional local road funding to Michigan communities, instead picking favored areas for specific projects. Republicans earlier this year proposed a $1 billion investment in local roads.

Bollin criticized wasteful spending and harmful policies in the budget, including:

• Funding for more than 1,000 new bureaucrats, — positions that will be difficult to eliminate in future years if funds aren’t available.
• Spending $125 million on “clean” buses, which are unreliable for expansive rural school districts.
• Ignoring the need to invest in local roads.
• Failure to provide adequate funding for secure elections.
• Undermining of key transparency requirements, weakening reporting requirements on state employee remote work.
• Disparate treatment of students.

Despite Bollin’s opposition, House Bill 4437 and Senate Bill 173 were approved by both the House and Senate. They now advance to the governor for her expected signature.

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