Speaker Pro Tem Rachelle Smit today voted in support of the state budget deal, which includes implementation of President Trump’s “No tax on tips, overtime, or Social Security income” plan, and makes cuts to waste, fraud, and abuse, leading to an overall reduction in size of state government.

“So many people in our communities have been tightening their own budgets while the state government has done nothing but grow,” said Smit, R-Martin. “That’s why I’m proud to support a budget that allows our middle-class workers to keep more of their hard-earned income, ensuring those dollars go towards the things that matter and aren’t blown on wasteful government projects. Our plan also slashes other problematic government spending, leading the first reduction in overall spending in a very long time.”

The budget implements President Trump’s plan to provide tax relief to working families and seniors by eliminating taxes on tips, overtime pay, and Social Security income. This will provide meaningful relief to more than 500,000 Michiganders, helping workers, seniors, and families stretch their paychecks further and keep up with the rising cost of living.

The deal also makes significant cuts to waste, fraud, and abuse in state government, specifically the elimination of 2,000 ghost government employees. These ghost employees are full-time positions requested by departments that are never filled. The departments then pad their slush funds with money they receive for these ghost positions. Eliminating ghost employees saved hundreds of millions of dollars that were redirected into broad, widespread priorities that benefit all Michiganders.

Under Gov. Whitmer, state spending has grown by 43%, with some departments doubling in size. House Republicans put a stop to this runaway government expansion by shrinking the state’s general fund in this year’s budget by $800 million, restoring balance and delivering better value to taxpayers.

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