Michigan Budget Sets Aside $201 Million for School Meals While Water Support Falls Short
State leaders approved an $80 billion budget that keeps school meals free but cuts water aid. The plan sets aside just $5 million for water help—far less than the $60…
Stock Photo
State leaders approved an $80 billion budget that keeps school meals free but cuts water aid. The plan sets aside just $5 million for water help—far less than the $60 million experts say families need.
Two days late, and after a lot of debate, officials locked in $201.6 million to feed students at public and private schools. This money helps kids whose families make too much for federal aid but still need support.
The first year showed strong results—100,000 more students ate breakfast at school. "Universal free meals reduce stigma," Rachel Richards said per Outlier Media. Richards works as fiscal policy director at the Michigan League for Public Policy.
The program steps in for families earning over $41,795 yearly—above the federal aid limit but below what's needed to thrive. Many of these households still find it hard to put food on the table.
Water aid got hit hard in the budget. Studies show Michigan needs $162 million each year to fix water cost issues, but the state provided just a tiny fraction of that amount.
In Detroit, water officials will mix state funds with $3.5 million from their aid program. Bryan Peckinpaugh from the water department stated, "In the next 30-60 days, DWSD will roll out the updated Lifeline Plan and begin enrolling income-eligible households."
The cuts also hit Detroit's housing aid. The Pay as You Stay program, which slashes tax debt for struggling homeowners, got left out of the deal.
"There are still a lot of folks that fall through the cracks," said Ted Phillips, who runs United Community Housing Coalition. His team often finds residents who missed out on tax breaks they should have gotten.
State Senator Stephanie Chang wants to stretch the PAYS program to 2030. Her bill sits idle since June, though Wayne County's treasurer backs the plan.
Since 2015, fewer Detroit homes face tax foreclosure thanks to breaks for low-income owners. City staff now work harder to spread the word about these tax savings.
