WATCH: Jocelyn Benson Calls Out Michigan House GOP for Disastrous Budget Proposal, Urges Bipartisan Solutions
In the aftermath of the Michigan House GOP’s vote to advance a state budget that would slash education resources, food and child care assistance, and other programs essential to Michiganders’ well-being, Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson is calling on residents to fight back.
In a recent interview with WWMT in Kalamazoo, Benson laid out what she described as the House GOP’s “faulty” budget—one that makes life harder for working families by defunding support for new parents, slashing funding to protect Michigan’s air and water, and gutting Medicaid, echoing similar efforts by Republicans in Washington, D.C.
“Right now, people are feeling very anxious—for a lot of different reasons. Cuts to Medicaid at the federal level, uncertainty about education funding here in the state—it’s all weighing heavily on families and public servants across Michigan,” said Benson. “And the thing that gets under my skin the most is, at a time when we should be trying to ease those anxieties and provide clear, consistent leadership, we’re not seeing that from House Republicans in this proposal.”
Benson emphasized her support for cutting wasteful spending, but warned that the current proposal would harm Michiganders’ livelihoods.
“We need to give Michiganders confidence that we’re not playing politics with their lives,” she said. “We are committed to getting things done, ensuring life is more affordable, and passing a budget that reflects our values and the priorities of the people we serve.”
Despite the political gridlock, Benson is committed to working with anyone as governor to get the job done for Michiganders.
“I think there are vast, vast more people who want to find common ground than there are who are being obstructionists,” Benson said. “And the reality is we can easily find common ground because so much of our goal is similar—to cut wasteful spending, ensure we can fund things like road construction and public education—but to do so right, and with ethics, integrity, and honesty, and with an eye toward what’s best for the people of Michigan across our state.”