Governor asks feds for funding help

Michigan could be in for some difficult budget cuts if the federal government doesn’t step in with financial assistance.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer said Thursday that Michigan faces a $3.2 billion budget shortfall, according to an article in Bridge Magazine.

The shortfall comes from reduced taxes as the state’s unemployment rate passes 22%. It’s also a result of increased payments to unemployed residents and increased spending on coronavirus-related services.

Whitmer is asking the federal government to intervene.

“We can’t do it on our own. We need a partner in the federal government,” Whitmer said. “This is a crisis unlike anything we’ve ever seen. I know I’ve said that many times, but the enormity of this is substantial.”

Help could be on the way. The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a package of bills called the HEROES Act, which would allocate $500 billion for state governments. However, the bills have stalled in the senate.

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