September 23, 2010
September 23, 2010
Governor urges final action on remaining budget agreement
LANSING - Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today signed fiscal year 2011 appropriations bills for community colleges, the judiciary and the Departments of Agriculture, Education, State Police and Military and Veterans Affairs.
"The budgets I have signed protect funding for critical priorities, including education and public safety," Granholm said. "It is now time for the Legislature to complete its work on the 2011 budget to further protect the priorities that are important to the people of Michigan, including investing in job-creation programs, education, and health care for the vulnerable."
Highlights of the fiscal year 2011 appropriations bills signed today include:
Department of Agriculture
The Department of Agriculture's fiscal year 2011 appropriation is $76.4 million, including $30.3 million from the state's general fund. The budget includes $13 million for food safety programs, $23.5 million to protect plant and animal health, and $13.8 million for consumer safety protections, including gas pump inspections.
Community Colleges
The fiscal year 2011 appropriation for the state's 28 community colleges is $295.9 million, a decrease of $3.5 million from fiscal year 2010. Funding for operations at each college is maintained at the current level as is funding for the At-Risk Student Success Program. Overall funding was reduced as a result of the elimination of the Renaissance Zone tax reimbursements previously provided to community colleges.
"Community colleges play a critical role in helping ensure all Michiganians, regardless of age, have access to the training they need to be successful," Granholm said. "I'm pleased that, even in challenging economic times, we have been able to maintain stable funding in this area."
Department of Education
The Department of Education will receive $127 million in funding for fiscal year 2011, including $21.9 million from the general fund. This is an increase of $14 million over the current year, largely due to increased federal funding.
This budget provides the funding needed to implement the state's education reform package signed into law earlier this year, which will strengthen student achievement and accountability. In addition, funding is provided for oversight of the new Education Jobs Fund monies and for critical services for at-risk students, special education programs and teacher preparation services.
Judiciary
The total operating budget for the judiciary for fiscal year 2011 is $260.4 million, which includes $152.1 million in general fund money.
The budget supports the essential operations of the judiciary and maintains funding for drug treatment courts that hold offenders accountable for their behavior while providing treatment for substance abuse problems. Successful substance abuse treatment can reduce long, costly incarcerations and recidivism at both the local and state levels.
Department of Military and Veterans Affairs
The fiscal year 2011 appropriation for the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs is $150 million, which includes $36.4 million in general fund money. The budget maintains $3 million for veterans' service organizations, which provide benefit counseling and assistance to the state's veterans. In addition, $43.2 million in funding is provided for military training sites, headquarters and armories for national security, and $68.4 million fund the Grand Rapids and D.J. Jacobetti veterans' homes, which currently serve nearly 900 veterans.
Michigan State Police
The Michigan State Police budget for fiscal year 2011 totals $529.2 million, including $260.4 million from the state's general fund. To help keep citizens safe, the budget maintains the current number of state troopers and provides $36.7 million to operate the state's crime labs.
"Keeping our citizens safe is a primary responsibility," said Granholm. "These budgets allow us to keep troopers on the road, maintain our crime labs and meet our homeland security needs."
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