Senator Mike Nofs on Serving in Lansing

Mike Nofs has been in Lansing for 16 years, and is finishing up his tenure in the Michigan State Senate, where he’s served for 10 of those years.

Nofs was a guest on the 95.3 WBCK Morning Show with Tim Collins.  He talked about the recently passed state budget, his bill to help schools and law enforcement work together for school safety, and also about the recipe for good and effective government, and what he’s learned in his many years of service in Lansing.

State Budget Highlights

• The 2019 budget puts $300 million toward road repairs in addition to a $30 million supplemental that was added to the 2018 budget.

• The budget also provides $11.9 million to train 155 state police troopers and $9.5 million to train new corrections officers. These new hires will both replace retiring officers and expand the pool of available staff.

• The school funding in this budget is the most ever allocated and the largest per-pupil increase in funding for most schools in 17 years. Details of the allocation include $500 million to help at-risk students, $28.6 million more for public universities and a $12 million increase in grants and financial assistance.

• The budget provides specific services for veterans as well, investing $600,000 to help ensure Vietnam veterans get the care and benefits they have earned, setting aside $1 million to fund the Michigan Veterans’ Facility Authority, and providing an additional $2.1 million to support county veterans programs statewide.