House Republicans in Michigan are revamping the budget process, aiming for cuts and fiscal responsibility.

After the GOP took back control of the House, they’re looking to trim down a budget that’s ballooned under Governor Gretchen Whitmer. It’s gone from $57 billion to around $84 billion, and they want to find some savings for taxpayers.
Bollin is all about restoring fiscal responsibility. She mentioned that they need to rebuild public trust and focus on getting value for taxpayer dollars. They’re planning to split the budget process for the Department of Health and Human Services into three parts to manage it better.
They’re also making some other changes, like moving the budget for lifelong education away from the labor department and combining the judiciary and corrections budgets. It’s a whole new approach, and they’re hoping it’ll lead to better management of funds.
Rep. Matt Maddock is the new vice chair, and Rep. Alabas Farhat is the minority vice chair, although he found out about his appointment at the press conference. Farhat emphasized the need to address the cost of living crisis, which is a big deal for many folks right now.
These changes come alongside new House rules that let the Oversight Committee issue subpoenas with just a simple majority, hinting at possible investigations into Democratic officials. It’s definitely a new era for Michigan politics!