Holland Reporter

State Representative Angela Rigas has announced her support for the recently passed state budget plan, which includes new tax relief measures and restored funding for school safety and mental health programs. The budget incorporates President Trump’s proposal to eliminate taxes on tips, overtime pay, and Social Security income. According to Rigas, this change will benefit more than 500,000 residents in Michigan by reducing their tax burden.

Rigas emphasized the priorities of House Republicans in the budget process. “House Republicans came in with a mission to secure tax relief, reduce the size of state government, and restore school safety and mental health programming; and we did just that,” said Rigas. She added: “We went into negotiations with the Senate Democrats with a strong, conservative budget plan for Michigan. The Senate didn’t care about anything but their own special project money. They didn’t make it easy on us, but I’m proud we were able to cut through the Senate’s obsession with divisiveness and deliver an incredibly positive product for our state.”

The new budget also addresses what lawmakers describe as wasteful spending by eliminating 2,000 so-called "ghost government employees." These positions had been requested by departments but remained unfilled while still receiving funding. The funds saved from these cuts were redirected toward broader priorities across Michigan.

Rigas criticized previous increases in state spending under Governor Whitmer's administration, noting that overall state expenditures had risen by 43% over recent years. The current budget reduces the state's general fund by $800 million compared to prior levels.

A key feature of the agreement is the restoration of $321 million for school safety and mental health initiatives after similar funding was removed last year. This amount will be distributed among both public and private schools in Michigan.

“Democrats cut this funding last year, so there was no way we were going to leave negotiations without getting back into the budget for next year,” Rigas said. “Our kids deserve a safe place to learn, and our teachers deserve a safe place to work. Getting this funding back into the budget was one of my top priorities this year.”