Tri-City Sun

State Representative Brian BeGole from Antrim Township has expressed concerns over delays in state budget negotiations, particularly affecting the K-12 School Aid budget. In a statement released on July 2, 2025, BeGole criticized the Michigan Senate for not meeting the budget deadline.

"The Michigan House remains ready to get a K-12 School Aid budget to the governor, give our school districts clarity on funding and fulfill our obligations as legislators," BeGole stated. He emphasized that while the House is prepared, "we have not seen that same level of commitment from Democrats in the Senate."

BeGole noted that the Senate failed to meet its responsibilities by missing the July 1 budget deadline. "They are blowing through the deadline just as the Senate Appropriations Committee Chair said they would. That’s unacceptable," he remarked.

He highlighted efforts by House Republicans over several months to propose ideas aimed at increasing per-pupil funding and providing flexibility for school districts. According to BeGole, these efforts aim to address issues such as low proficiency rates among Michigan students in reading and math.

"Simply tacking on funding and calling it a day won’t fix our state’s poor education rankings," he argued. "We need real reforms, and we will continue to push for that as we go forward in this process."

BeGole recently supported a House budget plan that proposes raising the K-12 foundation allowance by 20%. This plan seeks to increase per-pupil funding to $12,000 by eliminating bureaucratic obstacles and allowing local communities more control over spending decisions.