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Supplemental
budget
request
sent to
Legislature
to
provide
more
help to
people
across
Michigan
LANSING,
MI -
State
Budget
Director
Chris
Kolb has
now
provided
the
Appropriations
Committee
Chairs
in the
state
legislature
with a
supplemental
budget
request
in order
to
provide
additional
state
funding
in the
ongoing
battle
against
COVID-19
and to
help
people
in every
corner
of the
state.
“As
we head
into the
cold
winter
months,
it is
crucial
that we
join
forces
and pass
a
bipartisan
supplemental
budget
quickly
to get
this
available
funding
into the
hands of
the
people
across
our
state
who need
it the
most,”
said
Gov.
Gretchen
Whitmer.
“This
supplemental
budget
request
will
provide
much
needed
funding
to meet
a wide
range of
needs,
including
support
for
small
businesses
as we
continue
working
to
eradicate
the
COVID-19
pandemic.
Let’s
work
together
to get
this
done.”
In
addition
to
helping
those
individuals
and
small
businesses
that
have
been hit
the
hardest
by the
pandemic,
the
supplemental
recommendation
includes
funding
needs
for
testing,
contact
tracing,
PPE,
hospital
staffing,
and
support
for
nursing
homes as
well as
veterans
homes.
Funding
is also
included
to begin
the
important
work of
distributing
vaccines
to our
highest
risk
residents
as
quickly
as
possible
after
the
vaccine
becomes
available.
The
request
also
includes
federal
food
assistance
benefits
to
provide
needed
nutrition
to
children
who
would
typically
receive
free or
reduced-price
meals at
school
if not
for the
COVID
health
emergency.
Additionally,
funding
is
included
for the
continuance
of the
$2/hour
wage
increase
provided
to
support
direct
care
workers
across
the
state.
“The
Legislature
has
indicated
a
willingness
to work
with us
quickly
to
ensure
we are
providing
additional
support
for the
people
of
Michigan,”
said
Director
Kolb.
“With
the
recent
surge we
have
seen in
the
spread
of the
virus,
and
knowing
the
large
need
that
exists
for
small
businesses
and
people
across
the
state, I
think
everyone
understands
the
importance
of
getting
this
supplemental
approved
as soon
as we
can.”
The
supplemental
recommendations
provided
today
for
fiscal
year
2021
will be
used to
continue
critical
Coronavirus
response
activities
that can
no
longer
be
funded
with
Coronavirus
Relief
Funds
after
December
30 under
federal
law.
“Part of
the
urgency
around
today’s
request
is the
fact
that the
ability
to
utilize
the
relief
funds
already
issued
by the
federal
government
goes
away at
the end
of this
calendar
year,
and the
tremendous
pressure
that
already
exists
on our
General
Fund
could be
partially
alleviated
with
additional
federal
aid so
that we
can put
our
General
Fund
dollars
to use
in other
critical
areas,”
added
Kolb. “I
remain
hopeful
that
Congress
can work
together
to help
the
states
with
additional
funding.
We know
that
more
funding
is
needed.”
A
copy of
the
letter
for the
supplemental
budget
request
can be
found
here.
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