Focusing on Michigan’s Increasing Budget Should Be the Top Concern for the Future Leader after Gretchen Whitmer in 2026

Truly never too soon, Is It?

Before delving into the main topic of this article, I want to address a question I received about the photo I chose of Governor Whitmer delivering a speech. The individual wondered why I selected a picture where she appeared to be smacking somebody. I explained that I felt this image was appropriate because it reflects how I perceive the governor’s treatment of the state that elected her to the highest office twice.

It’s simply been a smackdown.

Specifically, the recent controversy arose when Governor Whitmer’s farewell tour, as she is term-limited from running in 2026, incurred costs of $204,444 in March for a trip to Ireland and the United Kingdom. According to Michigan Capitol Confidential…

The travel group of eight individuals indulged in Sunday High Tea at The Dorchester, a luxurious 5-star hotel in London, and averaged over $25,500 in expenses per day. They dined at Duck & Waffle, a restaurant situated on the 40th floor of a building in London, and visited Parliament, as per documents obtained from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. The participants in this trip included:

• Whitmer
• Maria Martinez, deputy chief of staff
• Angel Boshea, executive assistant to the governor
• Quentin Messer Jr., CEO of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation
• Vlatko Tomic-Bobas, investment director, Europe, MEDC
• Katelyn Wilcox, chief of protocol, MEDC
• Tim Boring, Director, Michigan Department of Rural Agriculture and Development
• Scott Bowen, director, Michigan Department of Natural Resources

Good to be King errrr Queen and departing in a little over a year.

Now, the reason why I’m interested in the budget is because I recall that former Governor and Republican Rick Snyder was a staunch advocate of keeping Michigan’s budget passed on time and under control. The budget under Snyder’s predecessor, Democrat Jennifer Granholm, always ran late or right up to the deadline to be passed, and Snyder promised to end that cycle.

The state of Michigan budget mirrors the federal one, and it runs from October 1st until September 30th of the next year. Snyder was able to handle getting the budget passed with the legislature long before the September 30th deadline each year, but the budget size slightly increased in his eight years.

His first full year was 2011, and according to the Governor’s press office at the time, the budget was passed early, balanced, and was $46 billion, which was good. His final budget in 2018 was just over $56 billion before he turned things over to Whitmer in 2019.

So imagine my surprise when the Detroit News landed this lil nugget on me today…

They have each sought $3 billion in additional money for repairing roads and bridges.

EIGHTY BILLION???

That is over a 40 percent increase in just six and a half years.

They sure as heck have not fixed the roads correctly, which was a Whitmer promise.

Now, one of the problems that I know about from a former life is that the way the state budget time lines up with schools and municipalities needs to change. 

Once again, the state’s budget year runs from October 1st to September 30th of the following year, and school districts, counties, and other municipalities generally run on a July 1st to June 30th schedule.  

That means, take for example, your local school district has to have their budget set and ready to roll by July 1st, but the money guaranteed to them by the state might not be settled by that date, which, of course, can cause problems with how much money they can spend on July 1st if the state does not have solid numbers for them.

Snyder did put an end to the endless speculation during his time there, but they are now having trouble getting a date specific where the budget is at least passed for local governments and school systems to know how much money they are, quote, unquote guaranteed from the state by July 1st. They are currently having “problems” with that date in the legislature, and with the Governor on her goodwill taxpayer tour, she is not helping much.

Whoever wins the Republican nomination for governor to face off against a Democrat in 2026 needs to make budget reform and how the state distributes money a main issue in that contest.

Also, it may help to discuss what in the hell they are spending the money on up in Lansing, because a 40 percent increase in such a short amount of time sure as hell seems like they’re wasting money.

Maybe after Elon Musk leaves his role in Washington, DC, we can lure him to the Great Lakes State for a bit to help here.

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