On Wednesday, House Democrats passed an $80.9 billion budget proposal. House Republican Leader Matt Hall, R-Richland Township, voted against the budget, and he criticized House Democrats for wasting Michiganders’ money and rejecting Republican efforts to improve transparency and accountability over earmark projects. More details about the budget are available here.

Clip 1: Hall noted that the big budget is built on Democrats’ income tax hike that took effect at the start of this year. It also relies on raiding teachers’ retirement funds. Hall said the budget should measure performance of state programs to get taxpayers a good return on investment.

Clip 2: Hall said the budget should provide more oversight of earmarks, but Democrats rejected Republicans’ proposals to reinstate and increase transparency and limitations on state-funded grants. A prominent supporter of Gov. Whitmer used a $20 million earmark to purchase first-class plane tickets and a $4,500 coffee maker for a startup business.

Clip 3: Hall highlighted that House Democrats’ $80.9 billion budget is even larger than the $80.7 billion budget Gov. Whitmer proposed earlier this year.

Clip 4: Hall called for the budget to focus on measuring program effectiveness, set priorities that matter to Michiganders, and focus on delivering a good return on taxpayers’ investment.

Clip 5: Hall noted that Democrats will need Republican help to pass a budget, and Republicans want to work to pass a budget that reverses the income tax hike, protects teachers’ pensions, roots out earmark corruption, set priorities, and measure results to provide a return on investment.