State Rep. Ann Bollin, chair of the House Appropriations Committee, today issued the following statement in response to the supplemental budget bills unveiled by the Senate Tuesday:

“I find it interesting that the Senate found more than a billion dollars to load up their supplemental budgets with new spending while they continue to claim we need to raise taxes on Michigan families to pay for roads.

“It’s also troubling that their plan completely ignores the urgent needs of communities in Northern Michigan still reeling from the devastating ice storm this spring, which the House has made a point to prioritize. These families and local governments are counting on us for help, and they need it sooner rather than later. They need more than a mere $100 placeholder.

“The Senate’s plan also attempts to convert a large amount of unspent, earmarked funding into work projects. It’s a sneaky maneuver that would keep taxpayer dollars tied up for years instead of freeing them up to address real and immediate priorities like repairing roads, improving public safety, educating our kids, and making life more affordable for Michigan families.

“That’s not going to cut it in the House. I’m working on reining in the overuse of work projects. We already have more than $1 billion of work projects on the balance sheet, and we don’t need more. When money isn’t spent by our state departments, it should come back to the general fund — not get shifted into a fund where we can’t touch it for four years. House Republicans are focused on accountability, efficiency, and making sure taxpayer dollars deliver real results.”

SB 184 includes $446.6 million in spending for the current fiscal year. SB 163 includes placeholders for another $1.2 billion in spending.