State Rep. Jamie Thompson is fighting for Downriver communities, protecting people’s paychecks and getting value on tax dollars for workers and families as part of an advancing budget agreement.

Thompson on Thursday voted for a plan that cuts government waste to make historic investments in local roads, support for students and public safety. She also fought to secure $1.5 million for upgrades to the city of Rockwood’s wastewater treatment plant, $1 million to cover the cost of a new fire truck in the city of Flat Rock, $1 million for HYPE Athletics, which provides fitness facilities to communities and residents in Wayne County, and $5 million for the Downriver Career Technical Center. The consortium is a consolidated career technical education program that serves nine school districts in the Downriver area, offering more than two dozen different courses to give students career options and skilled trades experience.

Additional resources within the budget plan will also go to rail-grade separation projects, including the Allen Road project – an issue Thompson has prioritized for the region since becoming an elected representative.

“This agreement puts Downriver workers and families first,” said Thompson, of Brownstown. “It provides record investments for our students, our infrastructure and those who help keep our communities safe. It also works with federal changes to help people keep more of what they have earned.

“We did this through responsible budgeting, respecting people’s priorities and changing the reckless push for frivolous spending that we have seen so many times from state government in previous years. This is a new way forward for Michigan and this is truly a product for the people.”

Main 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 – By establishing record per-pupil education funding at $10,050, the School Aid Fund budget follows through on House Republicans’ commitment to provide students and schools with resources they need to fund services and programs, including breakfast and lunch offerings, transportation, and more. 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 through the agreement.

Thompson noted the plan eliminates over 2,000 ghost positions that exist within state government and are routinely funded but never filled, while reducing the taxpayer-funded state budget by over $1.1 billion to right-size state spending and respect taxpayers.

“People have been clear – the spending they were seeing from government was out of control,” Thompson said, noting state spending has increased by over 40 percent since the governor took office. “I will not stop fighting for hardworking taxpayers and families who are concerned with their own budgets, instead of asking them to cover bigger and bigger state budgets.”

The budget plan will now head to the governor.