Governor Rick Snyder's budget proposal for the fiscal year that begins October 1st will be released next Thursday, February 17th. The state currently faces a projected $1.8 billion budget deficit for the new fiscal year. Snyder says he plans to ask lawmakers to do away with billions in business tax exemptions, according to the Associated Press. The AP reports:
Snyder has said he plans to review tax credits to see which are worth keeping, but hadn't said how many would be eliminated.
Lt. Gov. Brian Calley told the Holland Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday that the administration is counting on $2 billion from such cuts.
Calley also says the budget proposal will be like an "atomic bomb" going off in Lansing, a comment that drew criticism from Snyder spokeswoman Sara Wurfel.
Wurfel said Wednesday that Calley's comments were an "extremely unfortunate choice of words."
She also denied Calley's claim that Snyder plans to present an all-cuts budget.