State Rep. Joey Andrews previews state budget at Benton Harbor city hall

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. --  State Rep. Joey Andrews Previews State Budget at Benton Harbor City Hall

With just one day left before Michigan’s new fiscal year begins, state lawmakers are racing to finalize a bipartisan budget deal ahead of the Oct. 1 deadline. On Monday night, State Rep. Joey Andrews (D-St. Joseph) addressed Benton Harbor City Hall to preview the pending agreement and share how it could impact local communities.

Andrews said the proposed budget is the result of weeks of bipartisan negotiations and called it a win for public services, particularly education and social programs.

Among the highlights Andrews shared were continued funding for free school meals statewide, the preservation of Medicaid services, and no cuts to SNAP benefits. While final numbers haven’t been shared, Andrews said he was assured that per-pupil funding for public schools will see a small increase — a point of focus for Benton Harbor Mayor Marcus Muhammad.

“When you deal with a bipartisan budget, oftentimes no one gets exactly what they want,” Muhammad said. “But I want to see education not on the chopping block. I want to see free lunches for all students. We don't want students learning on an empty stomach, that’s difficult.”


Despite efforts to protect key social programs, Michigan’s road funding crisis remains unresolved. Andrews acknowledged that the state still lacks a sustainable, long-term plan to address aging infrastructure. The current budget includes a 24% tax on recreational marijuana sales to fund road repairs.


“You know, the governor’s been saying ‘fix the damn roads’ for six, almost seven years now,” Andrews said. “But the Legislature has just not been willing to do the hard thing and fund this”


Lawmakers are scheduled to vote on the budget Tuesday.