North Michigan News

State Representative Parker Fairbairn has announced the approval of a state budget deal that reduces state spending by $1.1 billion and introduces new transparency measures for special project funding. The agreement also includes targeted cuts to address waste, fraud, and abuse in government operations.

“I made a promise to rein in government spending, and I think we accomplished exactly that with our budget agreement,” said Fairbairn, R-Harbor Springs. “We made strategic cuts to wasteful spending while maintaining and expanding key funding for roads, public safety, and education.”

In recent years, Michigan’s state spending had increased by 43%, with certain departments seeing their budgets double. House Republicans responded by reducing the general fund in this year’s budget by $800 million to counteract what they described as excessive growth.

The new budget also requires all special projects funded by the state to undergo an open process that includes public hearings. For-profit companies are now barred from receiving special project funds, which lawmakers say will enhance accountability. These transparency rules are now permanent under a change in law.

“The House spearheaded transparency reform that will lay a meaningful framework for all future Legislatures,” Fairbairn said. “We adopted an accountability and transparency plan months ago and required the Senate to do the same as part of our budget deal. The rules we implemented will have a far lasting impact that will stretch on long past next year. By mandating that these requests be publicly available and negotiated in a transparent way, we ensure taxpayers know exactly how and why their dollars are being spent the way they are.”