State Reps. Cam Cavitt and Parker Fairbairn today criticized a $634 million spending plan passed by the Michigan Senate as irresponsible and reckless – particularly as the Senate continues to block $100 million in ice storm relief that passed the House nearly unanimously more than six months ago. That inaction has delayed critical assistance to Northern Michigan communities still recovering from a devastating March ice storm.

“Northern Michigan communities have spelled out their need for ice storm relief in extreme detail,” said Fairbairn, R-Harbor Springs. “The Senate heard those pleas and is still holding back a bipartisan relief plan. To then rush through a $634 million special project spending bill – crafted in hours and impossible to fully explain – is nothing short of a slap in the face to Northern Michigan.”

The new Senate spending plan follows sweeping special project reforms led by House Republicans and would undo a procedural safeguard that temporarily withheld funding pending further review. The bill would immediately reinstate $634 million in spending while Northern Michigan communities continue asking why their $100 million ice storm relief package –dedicated directly to recovery efforts – remains stalled in the Senate.

“We’re asking for pennies on the dollar in ice storm relief compared to what the Senate just pushed through,” said Cavitt, R-Cheboygan. “House Republicans paused questionable spending to demand accountability. Instead of joining that effort, the Senate rushed to reinstate funding – even for the most wasteful projects – while still refusing to approve ice storm relief.”

Special projects in the state budget are commonly funded for a calendar year. However, when funds remain at the end of the year, the State Budget Office (SBO) must submit requests to convert unspent funds into work project accounts, a move that would allow the money to be carried forward and remain available for several more years. This year, the SBO was asking for billions to be carried over. House Republicans withheld just over $600 million for additional review.

Historically, lawmakers have issued blanket approvals for continued funding without conducting any significant review of ongoing projects. This month, House Republicans took an unprecedented step by voting to pause a series of the Whitmer administration’s work project requests, giving lawmakers an opportunity to review the merits of each request.

“We wanted time to review these projects – just like the Senate has spent nearly a year reviewing my ice storm relief plan,” Fairbairn said. “Instead, they rushed to rubber-stamp wasteful spending while forcing Northern Michigan to continue to wait on the help it so desperately needs.”

In late March, Northern Michigan communities were slammed by a days-long ice storm. More than 100,000 homes and businesses lost power – many for more than a week. Fallen trees and damaged power lines left many roads impassable and many more residents questioning how they would afford to clean up their own properties.

The ice storm relief plan – House Bill 4328, which was approved by the House just a few weeks after the storm, would support disaster relief grants, which will help local communities pay for significant increases in spending brought upon by the storm.

“The Senate seems more interested in protecting its own special projects than helping the people we represent,” Cavitt said. “Families in my district don’t want excuses – they want the ice storm relief that’s been delayed for far too long. Unfortunately, it appears the Senate is unwilling to act on anything it can’t take credit for.”

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