Great Lakes Wire

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is set to meet with House Speaker Matt Hall (R-Richland Township) and Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids) next Tuesday, marking the first joint discussion among the three since budget talks stalled on July 1.

An internal document reviewed by MIRS indicates that Whitmer has maintained communication with legislative leaders since the breakdown in negotiations, speaking individually and in small groups around two dozen times from July 1 through mid-August. The records show at least seven scheduled conversations with Brinks as part of larger leadership groups and four one-on-one discussions with Hall. Most interactions between Whitmer and Brinks also included House Minority Leader Ranjeev Puri (D-Canton), who has met or spoken with the governor nine times during this period.

Other legislators who have interacted frequently with Whitmer include Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Sarah Anthony (D-Lansing), Senate Majority Floor Leader Sam Singh (D-East Lansing), and House Minority Floor Leader John Fitzgerald (D-Wyoming). Meetings listed in the document span calls, events, and group discussions throughout July and August.

These conversations do not account for additional meetings between the governor’s lobbyists, Budget Director Jen Flood, executive office staff, and legislative aides related to ongoing budget matters.

Separately, The Detroit News reported that Whitmer may travel to Japan on an economic trade mission next month. When asked about her schedule, press secretary Stacey LaRouche said: “Governor Whitmer is the governor 24/7 whether she’s at the state Capitol, visiting communities around Michigan or working to bring good-paying jobs overseas.”

LaRouche added: “Her job does not stop because the Legislature failed to pass a budget by the July 1 deadline. Instead, she’s met with legislative leaders 20 times while they’ve been on summer break and has invited the Senate Majority Leader and Speaker to meet together next week. Governor Whitmer is going to continue to do her job.”

At a press conference today, Hall described upcoming talks as a meeting of himself, Brinks, and Whitmer—excluding Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt (R-Lawton) and House Minority Leader Puri. He said: “Winnie Brinks doesn’t want to negotiate with me, because she knows that I’ll win that negotiation.”

Brinks’ office did not comment on plans for next week’s meeting.

Also during his weekly press conference, Hall compared departmental budgets under former Gov. Rick Snyder’s last term against those proposed for Fiscal Year 2025 by Gov. Whitmer. He focused on growth in funding for Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) as well as Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE). According to the Governor’s perspective referenced in the article, some departments have been reorganized or received significant temporary federal funding.

Article courtesy MIRS News for SBAM’s Lansing Watchdog newsletter

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