Dear Friends and Neighbors,

As we head into summer, the Legislature is working toward finalizing a budget for the upcoming fiscal year. Separate versions of budget bills have passed both the House and Senate and will soon head into a conference committee, where differences are balanced and final appropriations are added. The appropriations process is one of the key avenues we have to provide much-needed relief for Michigan’s families, seniors, and small businesses; responsibly invest in infrastructure such as roads, bridges, and clean water; and focus on paying down long-term liabilities so our children and grandchildren aren’t burdened with debt from the past.

Despite this golden opportunity to move our economy and our state back in the right direction, Lansing Democrats in the majority continue to shovel taxpayer dollars toward growing government bureaucracy, corporate welfare slush funds, and pork projects like swimming pools and electric school buses. Republicans in both chambers have offered amendment after amendment to reign in this reckless spending spree and help you keep more of your hard-earned tax dollars in your pocket. Although Democrats voted down these commonsense amendments almost immediately, we will continue to use every tool at our disposal to fight for the families, seniors, and small businesses who are struggling under the pressures of “Bidenflation,” crumbling infrastructure, and government red tape. It is an uphill battle, but not a fight worth giving up on.

Should you have any questions or concerns about the Legislature or state government, please do not hesitate to contact my office by calling 517-373-0793 or by going to SenatorAricNesbitt.com. You can also stay up to date with what I am doing in Lansing by following me on Facebook, or on X (formerly Twitter). I look forward to listening and learning about your priorities and concerns for our state.

Blessings,

Aric Nesbitt
State Senator
District 20

A short while ago, Senate Democrats passed legislation prescribing the 2025 fiscal year state budget. Budgets are statements of priorities, and this budget makes clear that Democrats have two priorities: spending all of your money and taking more of it. After squandering the state’s $9 billion budget surplus on pet projects and corporate handouts last year, Democrats have produced a new wish list that banks on a $700 million income tax hike, a $670 million raid on the teacher pension fund and a 1,200% tax increase on trash. More spending and more taxes are not ingredients for economic prosperity.

Time and time again, Senate Democrats have demonstrated their lack of concern for Michigan families still struggling to afford everyday necessities in the aftermath of historic inflation and record energy costs. They continue giving away millions of tax dollars to their favorite global companies and blocked every amendment offered by Senate Republicans to turn off this corporate welfare pipeline and return that money to taxpayers, repair crumbling bridges, and help keep fentanyl out of our communities.

Despite repeated claims that tax dollars aren’t being spent on illegal immigrants, Senate Democrats refused to back their words with their votes, striking down our amendments to guarantee no one here illegally receives rent or legal assistance from the state. They even refused to provide funding to send Michigan National Guard units to join troops from other states in defending our nation’s southern border against the drugs and criminals pouring over it because of President Biden’s disastrous open border policies.

Sen. Nesbitt firmly believes that people spend their own money far more effectively than the government and will not support a budget that reaches deeper into their pockets. This money can be better spent putting food on our tables and clothing our kids than it can be growing the size of state government. The people of Michigan deserve a state budget focused on investments in infrastructure, improving education, and protecting our communities and quality of life. This money belongs to the taxpayers, not the Legislature or the governor.

Recently, Senate Republicans announced a package of bills to roll back red tape, restore worker freedoms, and boost economic growth in Michigan while continuing to fight tax increases on families and small businesses. The “Grow MI State” economic development plan seeks to:

Recently, Attorney General Dana Nessel announced her plans to sue oil and gas companies because the industry profited while knowingly selling products that cause climate change. Sen. Nesbitt and his Republican colleagues responded in a letter to the attorney general, insisting that she quit wasting taxpayer dollars on publicity stunts and instead focus her efforts on prosecuting violent crime, human trafficking, and the distribution of deadly fentanyl in our communities.

Instead of attacking Michigan job creators and making it more expensive for Michigan families to pay their energy bills, the attorney general’s efforts would be better focused on defending the people of Michigan against real threats to their livelihoods and well-being. The taxpayers of this state deserve better from their attorney general’s office than to have their hard-earned money irresponsibly wasted on personal political vendettas. They deserve leaders who will work to ensure Michigan remains home to a diverse and robust energy sector that provides reliable and affordable energy to power their homes, cars, and businesses.

This latest effort by the attorney general to push a radical, left-wing agenda follows immediately after efforts led by the governor and Democrat majority to raise utility rates and reduce the reliability of our energy grid with a California-style “Green New Deal” being passed at the end of last year. The policies being pursued and passed by Democrats sacrifice the affordability, reliability, and efficiency of our grid at the altar of environmental activism. We cannot afford to put all our eggs in one basket and must ensure that our grid is affordable and reliable to provide power for our families, seniors, and small businesses.

Sen. Nesbitt welcomed retired U.S. Navy Lt. John Barkley, commander of the Edward W. Thompson American Legion Post 49 in South Haven, to the state Capitol as his special guest for the Senate’s 29th Annual Memorial Day Service to honor Michigan’s fallen service members.

May means Blossomtime in Southwest Michigan! Sen. Nesbitt was invited to participate in St. Joseph’s annual Grand Floral Parade.

Members of Lake Michigan College’s Leadership Accelerator Program joined Sen. Nesbitt in the Senate chamber to discuss the next generation of leaders in Michigan.