EDITORIAL: Hope rises for cooperative governing

Apr. 21—Some hopeful words emerged during recent interviews with House Speaker Jason Wentworth and Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey about the prospects of Michigan's political leaders actually working together.

Over the past year or so, Michigan, along with the rest of the nation, has endured a deadly pandemic, experienced a severe economic downturn and suffered racial strife, all the while its top elected officials barely talked with each other.

It has been an incredible display of immaturity and irresponsibility as those we've counted on to provide leadership instead engaged in rank partisanship.

But last week, Wentworth, Shirkey and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer sat down for their first face-to-face meetings in eight months. And while they didn't come to specific agreements on the things that divide them, including how to spend spend billions of dollars in federal COVID relief funds, there are encouraging signs.

"It's a good start. A good start," said Shirkey.

The Senate leader said he expects the Legislature this week or next will resend to Whitmer $3.6 billion in supplemental spending bills, many of which she has twice vetoed. He predicted this time, with a bit more negotiation, the governor will sign at least some of them and get the relief money flowing to Michigan schools and residents.

Lawmakers have refused to negotiate with the governor's office on the budget because she has used her state of emergency powers to exclude them from decision-making on the pandemic and other issues.

Wentworth, who is in his first year as speaker, says good progress was made in the meeting toward restoring the normal negotiating process.

"I am hopeful that we're near breaking this logjam to be able to have the Legislature at the table (on COVID) and the governor's team at the table in the budget negotiations," he said.

Hopefully, that prediction comes true.

Michigan is in line to get $10.3 billion in relief funds from the $1.9 trillion package Congress recently passed.

That amount of money, nearly equal to the total General Fund budget, could make a tremendous, long-term difference to the state's quality of life, if it's spent right.

It's important that the Legislature and governor are able to productively discuss the strategy for allocating the money, and that it not be held hostage by political squabbles.

A crisis is no time for petty politics. But that's what Michigan has had for too long.

We encourage Whitmer, Shirkey and Wentworth to continue their direct discussions on how to return regular order governing to Michigan.