Dave Boucher
Detroit Free Press
The chairman of a key Michigan House finance committee told the state budget director on Wednesday he will not meet to discuss doling out billions of dollars in federal COVID-19 relief until Gov. Gretchen Whitmer agrees to negotiate with lawmakers on pandemic orders.
Rep. Thomas Albert, R-Lowell, sent the letter in response to a separate letter issued Tuesday by Budget Director Dave Massaron.Massaron asked Albert and Senate Appropriations Chairman Jima Stamas, R-Midland, on Tuesday to meet by the end of the week to discuss allocating remaining federal funds.
In a fiery and at times inaccurate letter, Albert argued the Legislature needs to have a greater role in pandemic public policy.
Whitmer Acknowledges Veto Killed Unemployment Extension
Whitmer Acknowledges Veto Killed Unemployment Extension
January 6, 2021
3,912 Views
Governor Gretchen Whitmer is admitting that her veto of a $220 million allocation for the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund will limit unemployment insurance in Michigan to 20 weeks, and not the 26 weeks she wanted.
Republicans in the state legislature were able to tie the financial allocation to the unemployment extension in the latest COVID-19 relief bill.
Whitmer’s line item veto of the $220 million thereby also wiped out the extra six weeks of benefits.
Whitmer objected to the $220 million as an unnecessary corporate tax gift. She says the tie-bar was added to what was supposed to have been a bipartisan agreement without her consent.