Pure Michigan should be funded by tourism industry, not taxpayers, GOP leader says

By Paul Egan


LANSING — The tourism industry — not taxpayers generally — should mostly fund the Pure Michigan tourism campaign, the majority leader in the state Senate said Tuesday.

Sen. Mike Shirkey, R-Clarklake, made his comments as lawmakers and Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced they have finalized a deal to end a months-long impasse over the 2020 budget.

Supplemental appropriation bills and other legislation related to the deal passed both the House and Senate Tuesday, though some departmental transfers will still need to be finalized at committee hearings Wednesday.

More than $500 million of the $947 million in spending that Whitmer vetoed to force a renegotiation of the budget will be restored under the deal, which was announced last week.

Read more: https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2019/12/10/shirkey-pure-michigan-campaign-tourism/4385652002/
(Detroit Free Press)