Budget battle creates uncertainty for services in Ottawa County
Officials in Ottawa County are bracing for uncertainty for some key local programs as a state budget battle threatens to slash billions of dollars from the public health programs on which residents rely.
OTTAWA COUNTY — Officials in Ottawa County are bracing for uncertainty for some key local programs as a state budget battle threatens to slash billions of dollars from the public health programs on which residents rely.
A budget passed by the Republican-led Michigan House of Representatives on Aug. 26 proposes deep cuts to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and the Michigan State Police for the 2025-26 fiscal year.
These proposals are part of ongoing budget negotiations and have not been enacted into law. The House's budget is smaller than the plan put forward by the Democratic-controlled Senate, with a state government shutdown possible if an agreement is not reached by the Oct. 1 deadline.
As the Sept. 30 deadline to avoid a state government shutdown approaches, local agencies like the Ottawa County Department of Public Health and the area’s MSP district are left in a difficult position, unable to plan for a future that could include significant funding shortfalls.
“We’re closely monitoring ongoing budget discussions in Lansing,” said Alison Clark, a communications specialist and public information officer for the Ottawa County Department of Public Health. “Since these are still proposed cuts and the legislative process is ongoing, we are not able to speak to potential impacts until the budget is finalized, and we know more.”
Clark said the department would be better able to discuss effects on local services once a final budget is passed.
The source of that uncertainty is a House Republican proposal that statewide officials say would cripple their departments. For local health departments like Ottawa County's, the deepest concerns stem from the proposed $4.95 billion reduction to the MDHHS, the state-level agency that provides significant funding and oversight for county health services.
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MDHHS Director Elizabeth Hertel said in a statement that the cuts would “drastically impact our ability to protect the health, safety and prosperity of Michigan families.”
According to the department, the funding loss would eliminate more than 1,600 state positions. These include child protective services workers who investigate abuse cases, benefits specialists who help families in communities like Holland and Grand Haven apply for food and health assistance, and disease specialists who track public health threats.
The House plan also eliminates funding for specific statewide programs that serve local residents, including:
- $20 million for adult dental coverage through Medicaid.
- $10 million for programs to improve maternal health care.
- $7 million for the Office of Community Violence, which works to reduce gun violence.
- $4 million for programs to combat homelessness.
Public safety in the region could also be affected, but officials said it was premature to say how it would affect Ottawa County specifically. Ottawa County falls into the MSP Sixth District.
In a separate statement, speaking to statewide effects, MSP Col. James Grady of the Michigan State Police criticized the proposed budget, stating it would have a "real impact on public safety in Michigan" and would be "a major step backward."
The potential for some of the more devastating cuts listed by Grady includes:
- Operational cuts: A $40.2 million reduction to Post Operations and a $4.3 million cut to the Department-wide line item would lead to insufficient funding for trooper recruit schools and a reduction in resources for vehicles, fuel, and maintenance. This could result in fewer troopers on patrol, potential layoffs, and limitations on vehicle usage.
- Elimination of key programs: The proposed budget would remove all funding for the Secure Cities Partnership, which provides troopers and aviation support to high-crime areas.
- Impact on training and personnel: The elimination of the Professional Development Bureau and a $520,000 reduction to Training Operations would significantly hinder the MSP's ability to recruit, train, and retain its members.
- Other reductions: More than $4.5 million in additional cuts would affect the department's capacity for community outreach, grant support, media relations, and the maintenance of communications equipment in patrol vehicles.
The MSP also noted that the budget eliminates the Secure Cities Partnership, which provides state resources to local communities experiencing high crime rates, which would not include Ottawa County.
— Heather VanDyke covers northern Ottawa County for the Ottawa News Network. Contact her at hvandyke@ottawanewsnetwork.org.
