Insider Intelligence

Today, the biannual Consensus Revenue Estimating Conference was held in Lansing. The conference included House and Senate members, the directors of the House Fiscal Agency and the Senate Fiscal Agency, State Treasurer Rachael Eubanks, and State Budget Director Chris Kolb.  After hearing testimony from the Research Seminar on Quantitative Economics at the University of Michigan, […]

The House of Representatives approved of a plan setting up a structure for when the State can make withdrawals from the budget stabilization fund. Often referred to as the rainy day fund, the fund is the state’s savings account. The legislation, introduced by Representative Laura Cox (R-Livonia), would prevent withdrawals unless the economy stops growing, […]

What does the legislative process and procurement have in common?  At first glance, it doesn’t appear like much, but let’s take a closer look. Every legislative session in Lansing, policies are established, and budgets are approved. Both policy and appropriations have a significant impact on state projects, but most importantly create opportunities for those that […]

Governor Rick Snyder signed into law the framework of the Marshall Plan for Talent. Designed to connect employers with educators in order to pair students with in-demand careers, the plan encourages apprenticeships and mentorships with an educational focus on certifications and occupational licensing. The Governor announced his Marshall Plan for Talent in February and has […]

In the legislature, there are two types of committees; appropriations and policy.  When I served in the House of Representatives, I was a policy legislator and I always regretted not serving on the appropriations committee. Policy committees are important.  The members work hard to understand an industry and those impacted by the industry.  From that […]

Last week, Michigan’s legislature put the finishing touches on the State of Michigan’s 2018-2019 Fiscal Year budget. The legislature accounted for and appropriated $39.9 billion to the state’s thirteen budget areas, plus an additional $16.8 billion to K-12 schools, community colleges, and universities. The approximately $56.7 billion budget passed with little controversy or fanfare. In […]

This week, conference committees met and signed conference reports for the budgets for the upcoming 2018-2019 Fiscal Year. This is the last step in the process prior to the full House and Senate voting on the finalized versions of the budgets. Highlights include: The closure of a second state prison $2.4 million to expand education […]

This week, the Senate passed legislation aimed at supporting state and local parks, funding recreational projects and needs throughout the state, and creating more flexibility in the use of funds. The package includes a Joint Resolution and three Senate bills that would alter the way revenue to the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund (MNRTF) and […]