LANSING, Mich. — State Rep. Sarah Lightner today said the bipartisan budget agreement delivers on the most important priorities for Michigan families: record school funding, safer communities, stronger infrastructure, and meaningful tax relief for workers and seniors.

Lightner, chair of the House Judiciary Committee, said the plan reflects accountability and common sense.

“We forced Lansing to live within its means and focus on what really matters,” Lightner said. “This budget delivers record resources for students, backs the blue, fixes our roads without raising taxes, and protects families’ hard-earned income from Lansing’s reach. That’s the right way to budget.”

The plan makes the largest investment in education in Michigan’s history, guaranteeing every student a $10,050 foundation allowance, a $442 per pupil increase. It also restores critical school safety and mental health funding, ensuring classrooms are secure and students get the support they deserve.

Lightner said the agreement is also a major victory for public safety, with dedicated resources to strengthen police, fire, and first responders through the Public Safety and Violence Prevention Trust Fund. “Communities cannot thrive without safe streets,” Lightner said. “We are giving law enforcement the tools they need to crack down on crime and keep families safe.”

The budget directs nearly $2 billion to local roads and bridges, delivering long-term improvements that will finally provide safer, more reliable infrastructure. At the same time, it reins in Lansing’s appetite for waste by ensuring dollars go where they are most needed.

Tax relief is another cornerstone of the agreement. The plan eliminates the state income tax on tips, protecting service industry workers and ensuring more take-home pay for servers, bartenders, and other hourly employees. It also continues to phase out state taxes on Social Security income, providing relief for seniors who have spent a lifetime working and saving.

“Families expect us to get the basics right — schools, roads, safety, and protecting their paychecks,” Lightner said. “This budget proves we can deliver on those promises by cutting the waste Lansing has been addicted to for too long.”

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