House Republicans Stop More Waste and Abuse

Today, the Michigan House Appropriations Committee voted to reject work orders from state departments. The unprecedented move puts a stop to decades of out-of-control spending by Lansing bureaucrats and their insider allies.

For years, departments have rolled unused funds into “work projects,” which allowed them to push millions of taxpayer dollars into programs within the department. Bureaucrats used those funds for their own pet projects, which were not approved by the Legislature. Ending these work orders is another step House Republicans are taking to bring more transparency and accountability to state government.

Earlier this year, House Republicans led the effort to make sure earmarks are disclosed to the public and cut millions in waste, fraud, and abuse from the budget.

“This is a huge win for taxpayers,” said Gabe Butzke, a spokesperson for Michigan Forward Network. “The Legislature gets to decide how taxpayer money is spent – not Lansing bureaucrats. For too long, state departments have spent millions of dollars without oversight or accountability, and House Republicans are putting a stop to it.”