What Whitmer's budget offers parents, health care workers, others across Michigan

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said lowering costs was one of her primary goals when she unveiled her budget recommendation Wednesday. If approved by state lawmakers — and that's a big if — her proposals would help a wide swath of Michigan's population from those headed off to college to those looking to enroll their child in preschool.

Here's a look at some of the proposals Whitmer put forward and how they could impact you.

If you're in college

In addition to increased funding for the Michigan Achievement Scholarship — the state's financial aid program for graduating high school students headed to college or a training program — Whitmer wants to see lawmakers pass a supplemental spending bill for the current fiscal year to support students' well-being. That would set aside $38.9 million for a Student Wellness Fund to assist public universities in creating on-campus programs to support student wellness.

If you're a direct care worker

Health care workers in Michigan could see their wages increase under Whitmer's budget, which proposes $210.1 million to provide a 10% boost in wages for direct care professionals (an average increase of $1.50 per hour). The wage support would go to those who provide Medicaid behavioral health services, care at skilled nursing facilities and through other programs.

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If you have a young child

During her State of the State address, Whitmer announced a plan to enact universal preschool by the end of 2026. She wants to begin by expanding the income eligibility requirements for Michigan's state-funded pre-K program — the Great Start Readiness Program — to families making up to 300% of the federal poverty level or up to $83,250 for a four-person household in 2022.

Whitmer also wants to make Michigan the fourth state in the U.S. to offer free breakfast and lunch for every public school student. That could potentially save families up to $850 a year, she said.

If you want to obtain an associate's degree or skills training

The budget would temporarily lower the age from 25 to 21 to participate in the Michigan Reconnect program that provides a tuition-free path to earning an associate's degree or skills training. That opens the door to potentially 350,000 more participants, according to the governor's budget presentation.

If you're the victim of a crime

Public safety investments in Whitmer's budget include setting up a Victim Support Fund with 14 full-time victim advocates across the state, funded with $1.9 million from state coffers. The proposed budget for the Department of Health and Human Services proposes $7.9 million to fund state and local crime victims services programs.

Clara Hendrickson fact-checks Michigan issues and politics as a corps member with Report for America, an initiative of The GroundTruth Project. Make a tax-deductible contribution to support her work at bit.ly/freepRFA. Contact her at chendrickson@freepress.com or 313-296-5743. Follow her on Twitter @clarajanehen.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Who stands to benefit from Whitmer's budget?