Gongwer News Service Editor Zach Gorchow says the budget proposed by Governor Rick Snyder looks like a Democratic governor's budget in some ways.
Gorchow told WMUK's Gordon Evans that the state's public universities and local governments were the biggest winners in the governor's proposed budget.
Democrats criticized the spending proposal. But Gorchow says Snyder's spending plan adds money to areas like education.
Education spending will likely be a point of debate in this year's gubernatorial election. The man expected to face Snyder in this fall's election Mark Schauer and other Democrats point to the per-pupil foundation grant. They say education has been cut in Michigan. Republicans point out they have funded the state retirement system for teachers, and money cut from education was federal dollars. Gorchow says voters will have to decide if they believe schools are better, and if Snyder deserves credit for that.
Snyder also proposed property tax relief in his budget proposal. Gorchow says it would make more people eligible for the homestead property tax credit. A change in the calculation would also make the credit larger than it is now. The homestead credit was cut shortly as part of Snyder tax plan early in his term.
