Can't 'Cut Your Way to Prosperity?' Michigan Spending Up $3.9 Billion Since 2011

The MLive editorial board has come out against a Republican House proposal that would fix Michigan’s roads without raising taxes. MLive (which also endorsed the May 5 tax increase to which 80 percent of voters gave thumbs down) prefers a solution that includes a tax hike.

“Michigan cannot cut its way to prosperity,” declared MLive in their editorial against the House GOP proposal.

ForTheRecord says: From 2010-11 to 2014-15, annual spending by the state of Michigan has increased by $3.9 billion overall. State spending during that span has increased by $3.5 billion when federal dollars are excluded. Gov. Rick Snyder has increased state spending in each of the budgets he has recommended and signed.

Looking at just the spending paid for with revenue collected from state taxes, not federal money, Michigan spent $26.27 billion in 2010-11 (Gov. Jennifer Granholm's last budget), $27.35 billion in the 2011-12 fiscal year, $27.85 billion in 2012-13, $29.17 billion in 2013-14 and $29.76 billion in 2014-15.

Overall, including all sources of revenue, the state’s budget has increased from $48.01 billion in 2010-11 to $51.94 billion in 2014-15, an increase of $3.93 billion.