Another Few Hundred Million In Spending Approved By The Governor
Former Calhoun County Sheriff Matt Saxton is among the state leaders applauding the final approval of a massive spending plan at the state capitol. The latest piece of legislation setting up spending hundreds of millions to help the state recover from the COVID-19 outbreak is clearing the Desk of Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
Former Sheriff Saxton is now Executive Director of the Michigan Sheriffs’ Association. He and many county Sheriffs’ around Michigan are pleased with the plan. A lot of money is going to help bolster rural county road patrols. Very little of the money involved is coming directly from the state treasury. 95% of the $384 million dollar plan is coming from the federal government. Most of that is being borrowed by the feds from who knows where.
The Governor says she appreciates the cooperative work of members of both major political parties to move the legislation through the State House and Senate in Lansing.
Just about everyone in Michigan it seems will see some of the results of the spending. State lawmakers are hoping that a big emphasis will be on helping small businesses get back up and running. But everything from boosting those sheriff’s department road patrols, to flood relief will get some of the cash.
About one-third of the money is going to pour into child care programs. Something the governor has been demanding from the legislature for months now. Hospitals and nursing care facilities are getting the lion's share of the spending.