FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

News from Engage Michigan

May 25, 2016

Contact: Marissa Luna, 989-798-3051, marissa@engagemichigan.org

Michigan Legislature Continues to Slash State Budget

Legislators will cut millions in needed investment in roads and universities

LANSING – Recently, legislative leaders announced that they would have to significantly scale back investments in higher education and road funding in the fiscal year 2017 state budget. The budget cuts come as the insurance industry receives an $80 million tax giveaway that was mistakenly issued in 2012.

“While our representatives in Lansing continue to slash funding for public universities, schools must continue to raise their tuition and students get crushed by loan debt. While they fail to invest in road funding, we keep damaging our cars driving over massive potholes. We can’t build strong communities if we unrelentingly cut our state budget year after year,” said Marissa Luna, deputy communications director for Engage Michigan. “We can build shared prosperity in our state and make much-needed investments in higher education and road funding if our elected leaders in Lansing ensure that everyone is contributing their fair share. Working people shouldn’t be the only ones responsible for maintaining our communities while wealthy corporations receive massive tax giveaways and avoid paying their fair share in taxes.”

According to MIRS, a $61.2 million increase for the state’s 15 public universities is getting scaled back to $41.2 million and the Governor’s proposed $165 million infrastructure repair fund is getting drastically cut.

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