Legislator secures dedicated local resources for infrastructure, public safety

State Rep. Jamie Thompson today voted for a budget agreement that invests locally, spends responsibly and promotes accountable government practices.

As part of the agreement, Thompson secured a $700,000 investment for municipal water connection for subdivisions in Berlin Township that have experienced numerous septic system failures and endangered residents, as well as funding for a new patrol vehicle for the Rockwood Police Department.

“From reliable, safe drinking water to public safety investments and return on tax dollars, I will continue to put our communities and families first in Lansing,” Thompson said. “Similar to the current-year budget, this agreement shows that it’s possible to provide historic funding for students, infrastructure, law enforcement and other priorities without making hardworking taxpayers foot a bigger bill each year.

“I’m also pleased at the government accountability measures within this agreement. Michigan has long ranked behind other states when it comes to trust in government. People felt like they didn’t have a voice and Lansing continued to act more recklessly and support more overreach. This was a major reason why I wanted to become a voice for our communities. This agreement ensures state government is working for the people.”

Highlights of the budget agreement include:

Supporting students and schools – The budget continues to invest in Michigan’s kids, including in districts with declining enrollments through a three-year enrollment scale, ensures educators and students will meet new curriculum requirements that focus on the successful science of reading program to improve literacy rates, and continues investments in mental health and school safety funding. The plan includes $50 million in new funding for tutoring services to help kids who are struggling, and provides resources for teacher bonuses, dual enrollment, bus services, and more.

Protecting taxpayers – Thompson and House Republicans successfully pushed back on $800 million in proposed tax increases and attempts to raid the state’s rainy-day fund. The budget agreement includes no new tax increases and comes in lower than the current year budget to return money to taxpayers.

Energy cost transparency – Language in the budget requires the Michigan Public Service Commission to provide clear explanations to the Legislature when evaluating utility rate increases. The commission has approved $1 billion in rate hikes on utility customers since 2023. This new layer of oversight will help address rising energy costs for families. Thompson has consistently pushed for reforms to lower energy costs during the current legislative term, including sponsoring legislation that guarantees a rollback on utility rates and no new rate increases for two years.

Strengthening workforce development – Continued support for the Going PRO Talent Fund will aid workforce training programs and spur small business growth.

Fairness within state permitting – The agreement pushes better customer service from the state and a streamlined permitting process to keep Michigan attractive for workers and small businesses. Fees would be refunded for late permit reviews under the plan. Thompson said constituents in her district have experienced delays and denials with economic development projects, especially with the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, due to the bureaucratic mess that is state permitting, and the reforms will work to alleviate issues.

Stopping fraud and protecting state programs – The budget makes several reforms for state welfare programs to combat fraud, including putting ID chips in bridge cards, adding a verification component to self-attestation, checking eligibility against federal data bases, and monthly error rate checks and reporting to ensure resources are there for people most in need.

The plan now heads to the governor for review.