LANSING, Mich. — The Michigan House and Senate passed a $946 million supplemental spending plan on Thursday.
The majority of funds will be allocated to the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity which will reach throughout the state from the Upper Peninsula to West Michigan to Detroit.
Included in those funds are $200 million to revitalize a paper mill in the City of Escanaba, $150 million to the state's business incentive plan known as the Strategic Outreach and Attraction Reserve Fund (SOAR) and $150 million for an affordable housing tax credit.
Money is also set to be allocated in areas of community revitalization, the state's blight elimination program, removal of workforce barriers and even small business support.
For West Michigan, the city of Walker will see $25 million for improvements of the Fruit Ridge Avenue bridge. The money comes from $33 million in Michigan Infrastructure Grants.
The city already has a 5-year plan in place to fix the deteriorating structure. According to the City of Walker Mayor Gary Carey, it's estimated there are 15,000 jobs within a two-mile radius of the bridge.
The appropriation items include:
Senate Supplemental Budget - Fruitridge Ave Bridge by WXMI on Scribd
Other items included in the supplemental budget put money into law enforcement training, transportation economic development in rural areas and a water shutoff prevention fund.
In addition to the $946 million, the bill would allocate $146.3 million to close out the 2021-2022 fiscal year for a total of about $1.1 billion.
The bill now heads to Governor Gretchen Whitmer's desk for a potential signature.
