Among the beneficiaries of Michigan’s record $76 billion budget: an historic house in Grosse Pointe Shores and an amphitheater in Grand Rapids. All told, lawmakers gave $39.85 million in taxpayer money to various arts-related projects across the state.

Grand Rapids received $30 million for an amphitheater project, which is projected to have a total cost of $116 million, according to WOOD-TV.

An unnamed Jackson theater was given $2.75 million. Although it is likely this is the historic Michigan Theater, the line item in the budget gives no details.

The Midland Community Center received $5 million after being given $6.5 million in the previous year’s budget.

The Edsel and Eleanor Ford House, in Grosse Pointe Shores, was given $1.8 million in taxpayer dollars.

The organization’s website describes it this way: “Whether your love is nature, art, history or design, you'll find it here: Ford House is a home of stories waiting to be uncovered.” The Ford House did not respond to a request for comment.

Michigan Capitol Confidential requested comment from various elected officials, including Sen. Jim Stamas, R-Midland, chair of the appropriations committee, and committee members Sen. Tom Barrett, R-Charlotte, Sen. Jon Bumstead, R-North Muskegon, Sen. Kim LaSata, R-Niles, and Sen. John Bizon, R-Battle Creek. None of the officials responded.

James Hohman, director of fiscal policy at the Mackinac Center, says Michigan’s spending patterns are not sustainable.

“The budget approved by Michigan’s legislature at the end of June hikes spending from state funds by 7%,” Hohman wrote in a blog post. “If lawmakers limited themselves to the growth of the state’s population and inflation, the state budget would only have grown 3.15%.”

President Joe Biden’s attempt to implement a student loan forgiveness program was ruled “an unconstitutional exercise of Congress’s legislative power” by District Judge Mark Pittman on Thursday, Nov. 10.

The federal judge noted there was no congressional authorization for the program.

The Biden administration continued receiving applications for the program in October, even though it was temporarily blocked by a federal judge after six states mounted a legal challenge. A lawsuit against the program was also filed by Job Creators Network the same month.

The network alleged that the Department of Education did not allow public comment on the program and it did not have authority under the Heroes Act. The judge agreed that the department did not provide proof that it received legislative approval.

The power to provide relief for student debt comes from congressional authority, not the executive branch.

The administration immediately appealed the ruling. It is likely the challenge will be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court. If the Biden administration prevails, the program would relieve up to $10,000 in student loans for people making under $125,000 and up to $20,000 for students who were given Pell grants.

The Department of Education has stopped accepting applications due to the most recent ruling.

There were 1,430,900 student loan borrowers in Michigan as of 2021. The loans totaled $51.8 billion, with an average balance of $36,221. There are 113,041 students, or 7.9% of borrowers, in the state who are delinquent with payments.