Top Michigan Republican defends surprise axing of $645M amid confusion of what was cut

(FOX 2) - Days after Michigan House Republicans cut hundreds of millions of dollars in current projects ongoing throughout the state, it's still unsure what appropriated money was clawed back.

And according to Speaker Matt Hall (R-Richmond Township), it wasn't the responsibility of lawmakers to inform recipients of project dollars they would be losing funding.

Instead, he said a list of impacted programs should be provided by the departments they fall under.

Speaking during a press conference on Tuesday, Hall promised "much more responsible use of your tax dollars."

Last week, the Republican-led Appropriations Committee in the Michigan House cut $644 million in money already allocated to projects around the state. The move drew the ire of Democrats as well as some Republicans within the chamber.

Several days later and lawmakers from both sides of the legislature continued to fume over the decision.

Speaker Hall: 'We're exposing a problem'

The speaker said money moving in and out of Lansing was too hard to track.

"This process is broken and out of control. It's become the norm to squirrel away billions of dollars of taxpayer money," he said. "We need to rein that in. This should become the exception to the rule, not the rule."

He said pork spending within Lansing had gotten out of control and government money should only fund core functions, like roads, public safety, education, and our social safety net.

"I'm not trying to disrupt and do cataclysmic things. What I'm trying to do is get justification for all of the spending and then if their justification satisfies the committee, they approve it," he said.

Catching up:

House Republicans leveraged a rarely-used move of letting current funding lapse that had previously been appropriated last year.

While the spending that had already been approved by lawmakers in 2024, it must be re-appropriated by committee each year that it is being dolled out. On Dec. 10, the House Appropriations Committee voted to take back $644 million.

A fiscal analysis of funding cuts spanned across the state, including support programs for infants, grants for food infrastructure, safety cameras in work zones, upgrades to DNR-run visitor centers, improvements to fisheries habitat, and more. 

The move was made without approval from the Democrat-controlled Senate. Democrats, including state Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks blasted the move.

Rebukes also came from Republicans, including Rep. Rylee Linting, who represents downriver communities like Wyandotte. 

"The cuts made by the budget committee today paused hundreds of state projects - both good and bad. This approach doesn't work. They should have gone through project by project and figured out what works and what doesn't, instead of stopping important investments and throwing them out with wasteful programs."

Where funds were slashed around Michigan

While there is confusion about how many projects will be impacted, one is RX Kids.

Launched in 2024, RX Kids provides money to mothers with babies across 20 Michigan communities. The group had $18 million in funding cut because it was not spent, Hall said. It still has $270 million coming in from other sources.

Hall called the program "way overfunded."

But RX kids say the cuts posed a "significant risk" to the program.

Zoom out:

The RX Kids cuts fell under the health department's projects, which included more than $50 million in slashed funding. But an analysis of the disapproved money doesn't stop there.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources had over $5 million cut in upgrades to facilities, trails, management of wildlife, and hazardous material abatement.

The Michigan Strategic Fund, which funnels money for economic development, saw over $100 million in cuts, including $63 million to infrastructure.

At the Department of Labor of Economic Opportunity, more than $130 million was eliminated, including museum grants, talent and growth funding, and community enhancement grants.

The other side:

Michigan Democrats continued to criticize the move, with former Speaker Joe Tate writing "Just weeks before Christmas, House Republicans yanked away funding for veterans, firefighters, moms and infants."

He stood by other Democrats who spoke Tuesday.

"These cuts are devastating, and I think they're heartless and the people need to know who is on their side," said Saginaw Democrat Amos O'Neal. "The Michigan Legislative Black Caucus is on your side."

Michigan State House