State Rep. Brian BeGole, of Antrim Township, on Thursday voted for a budget plan for the new fiscal year that dedicates historic funding to students, local roads and public safety while cutting down on government bloat that consistently nickel and dimes hardworking taxpayers.

“House Republicans have spent months pushing for a responsible budget that respects people’s budgets – not one that rips them off to grow state government’s budget,” BeGole said. “I have heard from people throughout our communities on what matters to them: better local infrastructure, safe neighborhoods, getting our kids the support they need to thrive in the classroom and policies that help people keep more of what they earn. We fought for value for taxpayers in this budget plan, and this agreement is a testament to those efforts.”

Highlights of the plan include:

A landmark commitment to local infrastructure – The budget plan dedicates nearly $2 billion in ongoing funding to fix local roads. For many local road agencies, this investment will mean communities finally have the resources to repair potholes and repave roads workers and families use every day.

Prioritizing public safety – A new Public Safety and Violence Prevention Trust Fund that provides for $95 million this year and $50 million in ensuing years will help every Michigan family feel safer in their neighborhoods and communities. The funding will go to embattled communities to help address violent crime and provide communities and counties across the state with resources to upgrade equipment and vehicles, retain officers and prosecutors, and more.

Record funding for students – The School Aid Fund budget increases per-pupil funding to $10,050 – a $442 increase from last year when per-pupil funding remained stagnant under Democrat leadership. The elevated funding follows through on a commitment from BeGole and House Republicans to provide students and schools with resources they need to fund services and programs. The plan also provides $321 million for school safety and mental health funding after it was cut to just $28 million in last year’s budget.

Supporting federal efforts to cut taxes – The budget plan supports federal tax cuts for Michigan families and seniors at the state level so that hardworking people aren’t punished for putting in extra hours or enjoying the retirement they’ve earned. State taxes on tips, overtime pay and Social Security income would be eliminated under the plan.

BeGole also pushed for multiple other elements of the budget plan. Earlier this year, House Republicans passed transparency requirements for earmarks as part of budget negotiations. With House Resolution 14, every spending item requested by legislators would be publicly vetted with and listed on a public website ahead of any vote. HR 14 also banned earmarks for for-profit businesses, increased standards for non-profit recipients, and protected taxpayers from conflicts of interest. The Senate adopted these same rules for the budget this week.

The budget agreement eliminates over 2,000 “phantom” positions that exist within state government and are routinely funded but never filled, while requiring workforce occupancy rates at state buildings to be at 80 percent to ensure efficiency at the state level instead of empty office spaces. BeGole also helped fight against planned fee hikes for hunting and fishing license and for greater guardrails with assistance programs, like enhanced Bridge card securitization, to cut down on fraud and ensure those most in need are getting assistance.

Additionally, BeGole secured over $1.2 million in funding within the budget plan for two new ambulances for the Southwest Shiawassee Emergency Service Alliance to help local communities respond to emergencies.

The budget plan will now head to the governor.