LANSING – The return of highschool sports activities introduced Thursday is part of a a lot bigger political battle in Lansing.
The GOP Legislature is tying greater than $3 billion in COVID aid to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer altering her coronavirus response significantly.
The Legislature handed a aid package deal Thursday that features giving native faculty districts management over future faculty sports activities pauses and units cash apart for districts that institute all in-person instruction.
RELATED: Michigan GOP threatens to withhold billions in class funding over COVID precautions
“I’m keen to search out frequent floor with the Legislature in order that we are able to get this achieved,” Whitmer mentioned. “As a result of the folks of our state are counting on us to make use of these sources which were given to us.”
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Whitmer is referencing the tens of millions for vaccine distribution, half a billion for COVID testing and two billion for faculties.
She admits her workplace is talking with Republican Legislative management, negotiating to free the cash and whereas final week she mentioned she wasn’t within the method, she appeared extra receptive Thursday.
“I stay able to work with anybody who desires to concentrate on these objectives,” Whitmer mentioned. “These are usually not partisan objectives, these are Michigan objectives.”
State Consultant Andrea Schroeder mentioned Whitmer’s sense of urgency belies the truth of the state of affairs.
“Nothing is being withheld. Don’t overlook the present federal {dollars} undergo March. No person left any cash on the desk or something like that. We have to use these tax {dollars}, they’re our tax {dollars},” Schroeder mentioned. “We’re simply going to must see the place her priorities lie.”
Native 4 has reached out to Whitmer’s workplace to see if the COVID package deal can be given her stamp of approval however as of the time of publishing, haven’t heard again.
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Home Democrats unsuccessfully pushed for approval of $5 billion-plus proposal that largely mirrors one proposed by the governor.
READ: 7 takeaways from Whitmer’s COVID replace: Michigan sports activities, variant unfold, metrics
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