Whitmer's Proposed Spending Hikes State's General Fund 50% Over Three Years

Editor's note: This story was changed to clarify the "general fund/general purpose" is just a portion of state revenue. The headline was changed to reflect the clarification.

Michigan’s statewide employment in December 2021 was still down 205,200 people compared to February 2020, a decline of 4.6%. Even so, the the amount of revenue state government is collecting and spending has grown rapidly.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s budget recommendation for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1 is to spend $14.309 billion in general fund revenue raised by the state. In the 2019-20 fiscal year, the "general fund/general purpose" portion of the total budget was $9.463 billion, according to the governor’s 2022-23 budget. The "general fund/general purpose" is just a portion of state revenue and includes 31% of all state taxes and fees.

Whitmer’s budget recommendation would increase this category of state spending by more than 50% when compared to three years ago. These figures do not include federal dollars allocated in the state budget.