Lansing — Michigan lawmakers have set aside $3 million to help fund the upcoming transition of Democrat Gretchen Whitmer out of the governor’s office, a significant boost over what was allocated for the last two state leaders’ departures.
It’s unclear what the money would ultimately be spent on and what portion of it would go toward the incoming governor’s transition into office. But, according to the text of the newly approved state budget, the dollars can be disbursed over the next four years, until Sept. 30, 2030.
Budget documents suggested lawmakers might have funded security for Whitmer, a Democrat who was once the target of a kidnapping plot during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The so-called “gubernatorial transition” appropriation was embedded in the 1,001-page bill that the Michigan Legislature approved Friday morning after an all-night push to complete it. One Republican budget critic said he was unaware of the $3 million transition fund and didn’t have time to look through the budget’s fine print to find it. Across all of the expenditures for schools, universities and government, the full budget for the next fiscal year amounted to more than $84 billion.
An analysis by the nonpartisan House Fiscal Agency said the $3 million for Whitmer’s transition could go to leasing office space, equipment, contractual services, security and the “payment of accrued benefits” for outgoing employees.
House Speaker Matt Hall, R-Richland Township, told reporters Tuesday that the item was a “request of the Whitmer administration” and that questions about the details of the spending should be directed to her office.
Whitmer’s office referred questions about how the money would be spent to the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget.
“The requested budget for the upcoming transition considers inflation and the rising costs of the goods and services needed to support a gubernatorial transition,” said Laura Wotruba, communications director for the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget.
Whitmer’s second and final term as governor ends on Jan. 1.
How other governors were treated when they exited
Sixteen years ago, when Democratic then-Gov. Jennifer Granholm was preparing to leave office, lawmakers provided $1.5 million for the transition. The money was meant to cover expenses related to “staff, leave payments, unemployment benefits, office space, supplies, moving, and other related costs,” according to 2010 budget documents.
Eight years ago, when Republican then-Gov. Rick Snyder was getting ready to depart, lawmakers allocated $1.8 million for that transition. The official analysis of that appropriation didn’t mention security.
The Legislature set the completion date for the Snyder-transition spending at Dec. 30, 2019, three years less than the window in the new appropriation for Whitmer.
The $3 million total in the new budget marked a 67% increase from the amount provided for the Snyder departure.
State Rep. Jim DeSana, R-Carleton, who opposed the new budget, questioned why the transition spending had increased by $1.2 million. DeSana said Monday he was unaware the $3 million appropriation had been attached to the new budget, which was unveiled early Friday morning, just hours before the Legislature voted.
“That’s the stuff that’s deep in the weeds that we just don’t have time to look into,” DeSana said.
The main budget bill passed the Democratic-led Senate and Republican-controlled House overwhelmingly on Friday. The $3 million will come from the state’s General Fund. The text of the budget provided few restrictions on how the money can be spent.
Transition fund is called a Michigan government tradition
Former state officials said the transition appropriation has been a tradition in Michigan government. Some of the money goes to aid the new governor who has to set up an administration, and some of the money goes to help the departing governor who often still has state business to complete, they said.
“There have been state resources provided in the past both for outgoing and incoming governors as part of the transition,” said lawyer Steven Liedel, who was involved in Whitmer’s transition operation in 2018 and served in Granholm’s administration.
Snyder spokeswoman Allison Scott agreed, saying the appropriations have been done for the incoming and outgoing costs of the state’s top officeholders. Snyder’s state-funded security ended on Jan. 1, 2019, his final day in office, Scott said.
Former state Rep. John Walsh, a Livonia Republican who served as Snyder’s budget director, said it’s a “heavy lift” to make sure a new governor’s administration is ready to go on Jan. 1.
“I think it’s appropriate,” Walsh said of the appropriation. “The continuity of government is important no matter who wins.”
Wotruba said the $3 million might be used for technology services for incoming staff, security for the incoming governor, moving expenses for the incoming and outgoing governors and human-resources obligations, like the payout of accrued leave time and potential costs of unemployment for those staff members who do not have jobs at the end of the administration.
The Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget will oversee the money, Wotruba said.
Whitmer was first elected in 2018 and can’t run again in 2026 because of Michigan’s term limits.
She has resided in the official governor’s residence in Lansing. A business entity tied to her previously purchased a property under development in Cascade Township.
Five major party candidates are vying to replace Whitmer. On the Democratic side, the contenders are Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson of Detroit and Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson of Fenton. As for Republicans, the hopefuls are former Attorney General Mike Cox of Livonia, U.S. Rep. John James of Shelby Township and businessman Perry Johnson of Bloomfield Hills.
The primary election is Aug. 4, and the general election is Nov. 3.
cmauger@detroitnews.com
Staff Writer Beth LeBlanc contributed.
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Michigan lawmakers boost funding for Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s exit
Reporting by Craig Mauger, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
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By Craig Mauger, The Detroit News | USA TODAY Network
