Governor Snyder Outlines Proposed Fiscal Year 2015 Budget

Michigan Governor Rick Snyder outlined his proposed Fiscal Year 2015 budget on Wednesday morning. In it, the governor says "this is more than just a budget. It's the story of Michigan's comeback." The governor also offered a 2016 projected budget, continuing his practice of maintaining a long-range planning focus.

Some of the highlights of the recommended budget include:

• Educating children with a total of $11.7 billion in K-12 state appropriations, a $1 billion increase from fiscal year 2011.
• Ensuring a healthier Michigan with an investment of $71.7 million for the Healthy Michigan plan to implement expanded Medicaid coverage.
• Investing in job creation and infrastructure with $254 million to match federal aid and maintain Michigan's roads and bridges.
• Serving seniors, veterans and new Americans with $5 million to expand the distribution of home-delivered meals for seniors and $1 million in new funding to prevent elder abuse.
• Making Michigan safer with $17.8 million going to train an additional 100 troopers and 31 motor carrier officers.
• Protecting and enhancing natural resources with a $6 million investment to prevent the invasion of species that could do harm.
• Maintaining and ensuring fiscal responsibility with a deposit $120 million to the state's rainy day fund bringing the total to $700 million, its highest total since 2001.

The goal is to pass the budget by June 1st with the state's new fiscal year beginning on October 1st.

View more of Governor Snyder's 2015 Fiscal Year recommendations here: FY 15 Gov budget recs - Overview final