BY JAKE NEHER
Michigan Public Radio Network
A budget for next fiscal year is awaiting Governor Rick Snyder's signature. The state Senate approved a bill Tuesday that would fund state government starting October first.
State lawmakers passed a budget that would increase funding to local governments and schools.
Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville calls it the best budget he's ever helped pass. And he said he's proud lawmakers got it done in early June for the third year in a row.
"It wasn't that long ago that the House of Representatives had sleeping bags in September and were still fighting on how to get a budget done," Richardville said.
But Governor Rick Snyder said many issues still need to be dealt with before the new fiscal year starts in October. The budget does not include Snyder's request to expand Medicaid or increase road funding by more than a billion dollars.
Many Democrats say the budget doesn't do enough to make up for cuts to schools and local governments over the past couple years.
Copyright 2013, MPRN
