LANSING, Mich. — Sen. Joseph Bellino, R-Monroe, issued the following statement after Senate Democrats on Thursday fast-tracked legislation with no public hearings to help support the governor’s plan to move $670 million out of the state’s teacher retirement fund as part of the fiscal year 2025 state budget:
“This bill amounts to a wolf in sheep’s clothing. It doesn’t change the fact that this plan is about taking $670 million that was supposed to pay off debt in the teachers’ pension fund and spending it on Democrat pet projects.
“Michigan families deserve and expect a budget that responsibly puts their tax dollars to use to support an effective government that keeps their communities safe, provides a quality education for their children and supports economic growth to help them succeed.
“This is all about finding a politically nice sounding way during an election year to balance the budget on the backs of teachers and taxpayers.”
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