SE Grand Rapids News

On August 26, 2025, Michigan State Representative Rachelle M. Smit (R-Hastings) provided an explanation for her vote in favor of House Bill 4706, the proposed House Republican budget for the fiscal year 2025-26. The bill was sponsored by Representative Bollin and passed with a vote of 59-45, receiving immediate effect.

Smit outlined her reasons for supporting the measure: "I voted for a better plan that eliminates billions in waste, fraud and abuse. Instead of corporate welfare, ghost employees and political handouts, we got value for the taxpayers’ dollars by prioritizing road repairs, public safety, tax cuts and schools. These problems have been ignored for years, but the funding is there if you just make them a priority. Our $57 billion budget (plus $21 billion for schools) is leaner than the Democrats’ plans, and it invests more in the priorities that matter to Michigan families: fixing our roads, keeping communities safe, cutting taxes, and restoring accountability. Instead of rushing through billions of dollars in a matter of days, House Republicans took the time to go through every line of the budget to make smarter choices for Michigan families."

The Republican-backed budget totals $57 billion with an additional $21 billion allocated specifically to schools. According to Smit's statement, this plan is intended to reduce unnecessary expenditures while focusing on core issues such as infrastructure repair and education funding.