By AP
LANSING, MI – Facing an Oct. 1 deadline to get a budget in place, Democratic House Speaker Andy Dillon is talking about adopting all $1.2 billion in cuts that Senate Republicans passed in June.
In return, the Republican Senate majority might agree after Oct. 1 to put money back into the budget for some programs important to Democrats, who want to to keep a college scholarship program and money for early childhood development and local police and firefighters.
Republicans say the cuts are the only responsible way to address a $2.7 billion budget shortfall and avoid raising taxes.
Many of the cuts would fall on the poor and disabled, but plenty of citizens also could find they're getting less police and fire protection or job training and less money for schools.