Michigan Democrats Pass Budget, Omit Gretchen Whitmer’s ‘Tone Deaf’ Sin Tax Hike

Michigan Democrats pass budget, omit Gretchen Whitmer’s ‘tone deaf’ sin tax hike

Fellow Democrats in the Senate approve $88.1 billion budget that increases K-12, university spending but omits the governor’s request for an increase on tobacco and vapes to offset Medicaid cuts.

Senate Democrats reject Gretchen Whitmer's new taxes, approve $88 billion budget aligned with Gov’s priorities - The Midwesterner

The Michigan Senate passed an $88 billion budget Wednesday for the 2026–27 fiscal year, advancing a spending plan that closely mirrors Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s budget plan and exceeds the Republican-majority House version by roughly $12 billion. The higher spending plan would increase funding across major areas including education, healthcare, and transportation, while also proposing higher hunting and fishing license fees expected to generate $2…