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Dear Neighbor, I’m reaching out with an important update about the state budget for the 2026 fiscal year. Early Wednesday morning, I voted for a bill to keep the government open at last year’s funding levels for one week. This bill, conceptually called a continuing resolution, was approved overwhelmingly in the state House and Senate and signed into law by the governor. In effect, state employees will continue to be paid and the state government will continue to run until Oct. 8, after which additional appropriations will be required. The passage of the bill to keep the government open gives legislative leaders and the governor’s team more time to negotiate a final budget deal. Being in the minority in the House, I wish I had more information than I do. As I write this, I don’t know exactly when the House will vote on the final budget; and I probably won’t know its contents until shortly before a vote is called. However, I am optimistic that a budget deal will be reached before the bill expires on Oct. 8, preventing a government shutdown. No matter what happens, I am proud of my House Democratic colleagues for standing together over the last few months to fight for what Michiganders need. Throughout this process, my fellow House Democrats and I have spoken out against the House Republicans’ most harmful budget proposals, which did not include dedicated funding for free school meals, maternal health programs, services for people with disabilities and sexual assault testing kits. I am confident that thanks to our efforts, the final budget will avoid making many of these dangerous cuts. Many aspects of this year’s budget process, in my view, have been unprecedented. Most notably, House Republicans did not introduce nor pass all required general appropriation bills by July 1, the legal deadline for enacting the state budget. I want to thank everyone from the 56th District who has reached out over the last few months to express their concerns. I will send another update once the final budget is signed into law, which I hope will happen no later than next Tuesday. And as always, please encourage your neighbors and friends in House District 56 — Troy, Clawson, Royal Oak, Birmingham and Bloomfield Township — to sign up for these updates at RepMacDonell.com. Let us know if you have any thoughts on state-level issues or want to meet with me. Reach out to us by phone at (517) 373-2617 or by email at [email protected]. I can also be found on Facebook, Instagram, X and Bluesky. I would be happy to hear from and work with you to make our community a better place. In service, |
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Sharon MacDonell |