Detroit Regional Chamber > Advocacy > Jan. 17, 2025 | This Week in Government: House Tipped Wage, Paid Sick Leave Bills Ready for Floor Vote

Jan. 17, 2025 | This Week in Government: House Tipped Wage, Paid Sick Leave Bills Ready for Floor Vote

January 17, 2025
Detroit Regional Chamber Presents This Week in Government, powered by Gongwer, Michigan's home for Policy and Politics news since 1906

Each week, the Detroit Regional Chamber’s Government Relations team, in partnership with Gongwer, provides members with a collection of timely updates from both local and state governments. Stay in the know on the latest legislation, policy priorities, and more.

House Tipped Wage, Paid Sick Leave Bills Ready for Floor Vote

Legislation preserving the tipped wage and modifying paid sick time was reported to the House floor with nearly unanimous, bipartisan support.

Testimony on HB 4001 and HB 4002 concluded Thursday before the House Select Committee on Protecting Employees and Small Business, and the bills were voted out of committee.

RELATED: Chamber Testifies on Behalf of ESTA Amendments

“Be quick, but don’t hurry,” Rep. Bill Schuette (R-Midland), the committee chair, said about the committee process for the legislation. “We followed a process. We could have taken this all the way on Tuesday – we could have taken it from committee to floor and voted it out on Tuesday – but we wanted to be very deliberate about following a process, and that’s why we had more than three hours of committee meeting time on it.”

HB 4001, which keeps the tipped minimum wage at 38% of the minimum wage, was reported 14-0-1 by the committee, with Rep. Tyrone Carter (D-Detroit) passing. The 2018 law set to take effect Feb. 21 would bring tipped workers up to the regular minimum wage over a period of years, a change supporters call needed and opponent decry as undermining tips and the restaurant industry overall.

The bill was reported with an H-2 substitute that would modify the wage rate for employees under the age of 18 from 85% of the minimum wage, which is what the law taking effect Feb. 21 provides, to 75% of the minimum wage.

“Even with this change, workers under 18 will still receive minimum wage increases as scheduled, started on Feb. 21,” said Rep. Parker Fairbairn (R-Harbor Springs), who proposed the amendment. “We need to protect our businesses that often employ people in this age range, especially in northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula.”

Even with the change, workers under 18 will still receive a $0.20 per hour increase, Schuette said.

“A 20-cent increase over what they currently receive is going to preserve those jobs and protect those jobs,” Schuette said. “If we didn’t do this, those jobs would definitely go away… so it’s really about protecting those jobs.”

HB 4002, which makes changes to earned paid sick leave, was reported unanimously by the committee.

The bill also was reported with a substitute that changes the definition of health care worker to include chiropractors. The H-1 substitute also would allow employees to carry over more than 72 hours of their sick time to the next year if allowed by their employer.

Among the significant changes to the law taking effect Feb. 21:

  • Employers with fewer than 50 employees would be exempt from having to provide one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked up to a maximum of 72 hours per year;
  • Employers could make available a minimum of 72 hours in sick time at the beginning of the year to avoid the 2018 law’s requirements for logging employees’ hours worked and sick time accrued;
  • The 2018 law’s provision barring employers from requiring notification from employees of their intent to use sick time for three days would be struck.

The committee also heard nearly an additional hour of testimony on Tuesday in support of the bills.

MI TIPS Spokesperson John Sellek issued a statement Thursday celebrating HB 4001 being reported with bipartisan support.

“Today was a long time coming for tipped workers who’ve spent more than two years asking to be heard,” he said. “We tip our hats to Speaker Matt Hall, committee chair Rep. Bill G. Schuette, bill sponsor Rep. John Roth and the other bipartisan legislators who voted yes. They and other representatives stood up for tipped workers last month and acted this month. We are optimistic that the Senate will act, too. Sen. Kevin Hertel told us last year that he would help, and he has kept his word by introducing a bill to save the tip credit. He can now convince Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks to take action before Feb. 21st.”

With the bills reported to the House floor, Schuette said that a vote on the legislation is expected sometime next week.

Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt (R-Porter Township) issued a statement in anticipation of the legislation moving to the Senate in the near future.

“I’m confident that with Republican leadership, Michigan is on the path to prosperity,” he said. “I look forward to this bill making its way to the Senate and hope that Democrats will do what is right by working together to save Michigan’s threatened hospitality workers.”

Ahead of Trump Inaugural, Whitmer Extends Olive Branch to Republicans, Takes Harder Line on China in Auto Show Speech

Days before President-elect Donald Trump is set to be inaugurated for a second term, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer made it clear she’s not going to be leading the opposition this time around.

In a speech to the Detroit Auto Show billed the “Road Ahead Address,” Whitmer laid out an economic vision for the state that was carefully cognizant of the changes to come once Trump takes office. At the center of her message: collaboration with Republicans at the federal and state level and a warning about the future of the auto industry.

RELATED: Chamber Reacts to Whitmer “Road Ahead” Address at 2025 Auto Show

“Usually, I wait until my State of the State address to lay out an economic vision, but this couldn’t wait,” she said. “This is a serious moment. Right now, the future of the entire auto industry is at stake. The very core of Michigan’s economy is on the line.”

Whitmer’s office has yet to name a date for the State of the State address, which the governor told reporters was purposeful. She said given the speech’s usual occurrence in the third week of January coincides with Trump’s inauguration this year, and she’s held off on scheduling the event out of courtesy to Michigan lawmakers traveling to Washington, D.C. for the week.

Creating stability for the auto industry in the coming years, during which shifting sands are inevitable under a new administration, requires bipartisan cooperation, Whitmer said. Despite bursting onto the national scene in the first Trump administration as a foil to the now president-elect, Whitmer indicated she’s not planning to repeat history.

“Michiganders elected both me and Donald Trump twice, just two years apart. We all swore an oath to the people we serve,” Whitmer said. “Now, I don’t want to pretend like we’ll always agree … but I will always seek collaboration first. I won’t go looking for fights … but I won’t back down from them either. I’m not here to play games. I’ve got a job to do.”

A main economic priority for the last years of the Whitmer administration appears to be setting up long-term safeguards and solutions for the auto industry – Whitmer said lawmakers must work together to replace outgoing programs and generate new tools to keep the industry thriving regardless of the national economic current.

“To build an auto ecosystem, we cannot get complacent. We must update our economic toolkit to match our changing reality,” Whitmer said. “Two big obstacles stand in our way. One: our bipartisan job fund goes away in a year. Two: my road bonding plan – Rebuilding Michigan – is phasing out. Losing both without better, more comprehensive replacements will throw us off track. It’ll harm both our state and national economy.”

The “bipartisan job fund” Whitmer referenced is the Strategic Outreach and Attraction Reserve Fund, a fund that allocates taxpayer money to businesses to come to Michigan, expand in Michigan and stay in Michigan. Although it was launched with bipartisan support in Whitmer’s first term, it’s questionable whether it will remain functional because of bipartisan opposition that has emerged.

Speaking to reporters after her speech, Whitmer acknowledged the reality of divided government in reauthorizing the SOAR fund, which many Republicans in the new House majority oppose.

“There’s going to be all sorts of challenges, but I think that this is something that should transcend political party. This is a serious moment. That’s why I wanted to give this speech here at the Auto Show,” she said. “You look at what’s going on in the European auto market, that very well could be our future if we don’t stay nimble, if we don’t have tools to out compete and to make sure that we level the playing field with China.”

To prepare for the expiration of those programs, Whitmer proposed a new job fund and the proposed HIRE Michigan program, which would revive a now expired incentive that allows some employers to, in effect, keep the income tax withholdings of new employees they hire instead of remitting them to the state. The governor also proposed a more streamlined site readiness service and improvements in housing and transit access. If the current job fund and road bonding programs are allowed to expire without replacements in place, she said, Michigan’s automakers could fall prey to the surge of Chinese manufacturing and exporting.

“We see the bad version of this story playing out in Europe right now, where Chinese electric cars and batteries are gobbling up market share,” Whitmer said. “European automakers are falling behind. More than 12 million European direct and indirect auto industry jobs are at risk. If we do not act, that could be our future. One where we allow companies subsidized by the Chinese government to sell at a loss and crush the core of our economy.”

Whitmer’s toughened stance on China comes as Trump prepares to intensify tariffs against it and other countries upon taking office – a move Whitmer said could result in unintended consequences for Michigan.

“I’m not opposed to tariffs outright, but we can’t treat them like a ‘one size fits all’ solution. And we certainly shouldn’t use them to punish our closest trading partners,” Whitmer said, referring to Trump’s promises to slap tariffs on Mexico and Canada. “Doing so hurts all of us, damaging supply chains, slowing production lines, and cutting jobs on both sides of the border. Think about this: 70% of all the auto parts we make in Michigan go directly to our neighbors.”

Whitmer said she’s been preparing for tariffs on goods from across the Detroit River, emphasizing that most costs would be passed onto consumers at car dealerships in the U.S. She said her office has been involved in discussions with Ontario Premier Doug Ford about collaboration in the event of possible tariffs to lower prices for consumers on both sides of the border.

The reality of harsh tariffs, Whitmer said, would only be more ammunition for Chinese hegemony in the global auto market.

“The only winner in this equation is China. They would love nothing more than to watch us cripple America’s auto ecosystem all by ourselves,” she said. “This is a matter of national security. We can’t let that happen.”

U.S. Rep. John Moolenaar (R-Caledonia) slammed Whitmer’s remarks about China as “empty words” in a Wednesday statement, arguing that if she wanted to pursue a truly tough stance on China, she would not have advocated for Michigan Economic Development Corporation grants to companies with ties to China.

“Gov. Whitmer has given hundreds of millions of dollars to Chinese auto suppliers in Michigan. If she is ready to show she is serious about stopping the Chinese Communist Party from taking over our auto industry she will end the state subsidies she approved for Chinese auto suppliers and stop their projects from moving forward,” Moolenaar said in the statement. “She has subsidized the CCP’s efforts to make our automakers more dependent on China. Her concerns about Chinese auto suppliers hurting our economy are empty until she ends her subsidies for them.”

Moolenaar was referring to the controversial battery plant development in Mecosta County by Gotion, Inc., an American subsidiary of Gotion High Tech. Republican lawmakers at the federal level have called for a review of the ownership of Gotion’s parent company for Chinese Communist Party influence, despite the majority shareholder being Germany’s Volkswagen AG.

Hall Ready to Get to the Details of Road Funding

House Speaker Matt Hall said that getting down to the details of a long-term road funding plan was critical, as he unveiled a new plan on Thursday that would provide $3.145 billion for dedicated road funding without raising taxes.

“It’s a serious proposal,” he said. “So, I wanted to show the details.”

The plan is an update to the proposal Hall (R-Richland Township) introduced in November during lame duck, which would have provided $2.7 billion for road funding.

The biggest new component to Hall’s plan is to eliminate tax breaks, which in many cases are 15 years old or older, authorized under the old Michigan Economic Growth Authority program. Those funds would then be redirected to roads.

The MEGA credits could be addressed in a variety of ways, Hall said.

One possibility is to renegotiate with the corporations, he said.

“That’s the scenario where people say (the corporations) could sue, but Gov. Whitmer would just negotiate us out of it,” Hall said. “I have a lot of confidence in our governor’s ability, and she’ll negotiate great deals, but that would be the two step process.”

The other possibility, Hall said, is to amend the Michigan Business Tax so that, even with the MEGA credit, it would be more advantageous for corporations to file under the Corporate Income Tax.

When the Corporate Income Tax took effect in 2012, nearly all businesses chose to switch to it from the hated Michigan Business Tax – except those corporations with MEGA tax breaks that made staying with the MBT a lower-cost proposition.

“So, we’re not writing them a check, but also, they’re filing somewhere else,” Hall said. “We can’t plan for what additional revenue comes in once they start filing under the CIT… If there is more revenue, that’ll just go to where we dedicate it, which will be roads.”

The total value of the remaining MEGA credits will start declining in 2026, drop to nearly nothing in 2030 and are scheduled to fully expire in 2031.

The November plan dedicated $1.7 billion in funding from the Corporate Income Tax. The updated plan has identified specific line items, increasing that total to $2.2 billion.

The $3.145 billion proposal breaks down in the following way:

  • $500 million from eliminating outdated MEGA credits.
  • $500 million from preventing legislative earmarks, based on average annual spending levels of nearly $600 million.
  • $600 million in ongoing general funds from higher-than-expected tax returns after the state’s revenue estimating conference last week
  • $500 million from what have been automatic deposits into the Strategic Outreach and Attraction Reserve Fund. The funding is scheduled to sunset next fiscal year, which would free up the money in the budget. Hall’s plan would require future SOAR deposits to be pitched to the Legislature on merit and on a case-by-case basis.
  • $50 million from automatic deposits into corporate placemaking fund (RAP) that’s set to expire. Previously, that was set aside for automatic deposits into a corporate placemaking (RAP) fund that is set to expire.
  • $50 million from automatic deposits into the community development fund (HCDF) that are set to expire.
  • $945 million from permanently dedicating all taxes paid at the pump to road funding. The plan would remove the 6 percent sales tax on fuel and replace it with a revenue-neutral increase in the motor fuel tax, which goes entirely to roads.

Regarding the fuel tax, to backfill funding to K-12 schools – the primary beneficiary of the sales tax – $700 million in sales tax revenue would be permanently dedicated to ensuring school funding is not reduced by the shift.

Hall said the plan would focus more on funding local roads and include zero new taxes and no new bonds. The funding would use a different formula that’s weighed toward local roads, rather than using the current PA 51 formula.

The change in the funding formula is important, Hall said, because Whitmer’s bonding program and President Joe Biden’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act were weighted toward state and federal highways. None of the state bond proceeds went to local roads.

The plan comes one day after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer renewed her call for a long-term road funding solution during her “Road Ahead” address at the Detroit Auto Show.

Whitmer’s road bonding program will expire this year, and although she’s emphasized the need for a long-term road funding source with those funds set to end, she has yet to present a plan of her own to the public. Her last public proposal for a long-term funding source was the 45-cent per gallon fuel tax increase of 2019 that did not win legislative support.

“Since taking office, Gov. Whitmer has invested over $19 billion in Michigan’s roads and bridges as part of her Rebuilding Michigan bond plan, helping to fix more than 23,000 lane miles of road and 1,600 bridges, supporting over 118,000 jobs,” said a statement from Whitmer’s press secretary, Stacey LaRouche. “We know there’s more work to do, and that’s why the governor called for a sustainable, long-term road funding solution in her Road Ahead Address yesterday. We are going to need serious ideas, including new revenue streams and responsible cuts, to make sure we can fix our roads with the right mix and materials for years to come. Gov. Whitmer is ready to roll up her sleeves and work with anyone to get this done.”

Hall’s legislative colleagues had less to say about the specifics of the plan.

“It’s big on cuts and short on details,” Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids) said on Thursday.

House Minority Leader Ranjeev Puri (D-Canton) did not provide a comment on Hall’s road proposal.

When asked about for his thoughts on Hall’s plan, Rep. Alabas Farhat (D-Dearborn), the new minority vice chair of the House Appropriations Committee said school revenues should also be increased.

“Do (I) support the local road funding plan from Hall? Only if we also hold harmless and increase funding for the schools,” Farhat said. “I introduced a bill last term to raise taxes on large corporations to fund schools. We have one of the lowest corporate income tax rates in the region. I want you to find a Rep or Senator to go on the record with you opposing that bill to increase funding for schools.”

House Republicans, though, were enthusiastic.

Majority Floor Leader Bryan Posthumus (D-Cannon Township) said he supported the speaker’s plan.

“Any plan that increases taxes or fees is a plan I won’t support,” he said. “Our budget has grown by 43% since the governor took office. There’s plenty of room in the budget to finally prioritize the roads.”

Whitmer Signs R&D Tax Credit, Innovation Fund Bills Into Law

From the NewLab startup hub at Ford’s triumphantly rehabilitated Michigan Central Station, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed a set of bills into law on Monday, creating a statewide innovation fund and establishing a research and development tax credit.

Whitmer was joined by leaders from Ford Motor Company and NewLab, as well as University of Michigan President Santa Ono and several state lawmakers to celebrate what she described as further measures to make Michigan “a place where you can come and build something great.”

“While there are a lot of Michiganders with big ideas, they have a hard time finding the money just to get started. Think about all of the famous companies that were started in garages or dorms or backyards and grew to be giants,” Whitmer said. “They succeeded because they had access to financing from early-stage investors. Somebody was willing to make a bet on them and help them grow, (during) really the most difficult part of their journey, which is the beginning. If you’re starting something new and have potential to create good paying jobs and to grow our economy, you should be able to access the capital that you need to get going.”

HB 5100 of 2024 and HB 5101 of 2024, sponsored by Rep. Jasper Martus (D-Flushing) and Rep. Julie Rogers (D-Kalamazoo), establish the R&D credit for businesses with 250 or more employees to claim up to $2 million per year and companies with fewer than 250 employees to claim up to $250,000 per year. The credit will also allow taxpayers or employers to claim up to $200,000 in additional credit for expenses if they collaborate with a research university.

HB 5651of 2024, HB 5652 of 2024, and HB 5653 of 2024, sponsored by Rep. Greg VanWoerkom (R-Norton Shores), Rep. Jason Hoskins (D-Southfield),  and Rep. Alabas Farhat (D-Dearborn), respectively, create the Michigan Innovation Fund, which allocates an initial $60 million to be used in providing early-stage capital to startups and entrepreneurs.

Together, Whitmer said the new laws will create a more friendly environment in Michigan for developing businesses.

“The Innovation Fund will invest in Michigan based startups, supporting home grown entrepreneurs and expanding access to the resources that they need to be successful,” Whitmer said. “The R&D tax credit will lower the cost of researching and developing new products for small and big businesses alike and encourage more collaboration with our world class universities.”

Farhat and Martus, the two youngest members of the now adjourned 102nd Legislature, said the bills were designed in part to retain young talent that may have been raised and educated in Michigan, but which frequently leaves the state to pursue entrepreneurial success.

“Republicans and Democrats are coming together to address a very real issue – that Michigan entrepreneurs are leaving our state. They’re leaving it. It’s causing a brain drain,” Farhat said. “It’s causing our best and brightest to start somewhere else. What we’re doing is worth creating an opportunity for our home-grown talent here in Michigan, to employ Michigan, to invest in Michigan, and that first step is starting today.”

Praise for the new programs rolled in from business and university leaders on Monday, including from the Detroit Regional Chamber, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Michigan State University, Michigan Manufacturers Association, Invest Detroit, and Traverse Connect.

RELATED: Chamber and MichAuto-supported R&D Tax Credit Legislation Signed Into Law

“The Michigan Innovation Fund is a step to attract high-tech entrepreneurs and grow our economy and population – consistent with the Governor’s Grow Michigan Together Council report of 2024,” Detroit Regional Chamber Chief Executive Officer Sandy K. Baruah said in a statement. “Michigan was built by high flying entrepreneurs, and the Fund will be a valuable tool as we build our next generation of groundbreaking companies.”

Public act numbers had not yet been assigned by the Office of the Great Seal.

Bollin to Chair House Approps; Hall Picks Farhat for Minority Vice Chair Over Puri’s Choice

The chairs for the House Appropriations Committee are set for the term.

House Speaker Matt Hall named Rep. Ann Bollin (R-Brighton) as chair of the House Appropriations Committee and Rep. Matt Maddock (R-Milford) as the majority vice chair. Rep. Alabas Farhat (D-Dearborn) was named minority vice chair. Farhat was not House Minority Leader Ranjeev Puri‘s (D-Canton Township) choice for that position.

“We needed people that were meticulous, that will get into the weeds and the details and look at each one of these programs and determine where is the value for the taxpayer, what is the return on investment for the taxpayer?” Hall (R-Richland Township) said.

Bollin is a fourth-term member of the House who has served on the Appropriations Committee. Last term, she served as the minority vice chair of the House General Government Appropriations Subcommittee. She’s also worked on the budget for Health and Human Services, Corrections, Agriculture and Rural Development, Higher Education, and Community Colleges.

Bollin said her goal is to restore public accountability and fiscal responsibility.

“It’s going to be a principled budget, not a political budget,” Bollin said. “I look forward to working across the aisle with our Senate counterparts and the governor for a sustainable, fiscally responsible budget on behalf of the taxpayers.”

Sen. Sarah Anthony (D-Lansing), the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, following the announcement, told reporters that she was excited to get to work on the budget with her House counterpart.

“I’m excited,” she said. “Our constituents are looking for us to stand in the gap and mind the state’s coffers, and whether that’s looking at road funding, essential service in the DHHS budget. You can slice and dice the chairs all you want. I want to make sure that people have the service they need …I spend the most time with the House Appropriations chair, so knowing who that is so we can finally get to work was exciting, and I’ve worked with Representative Bollin since we first came into the House a few years back, so I’m looking forward to working with her.”

Hall selected Maddock, one of the ultra-conservative members of the Republican caucus, as the majority vice chair.

“I came here to chew bubble gum and to cut budgets, and I’m all out of bubble gum,” Maddock said.

Maddock, despite not serving on any committees last year, served on House Appropriations during his previous two terms.

As a freshman in the 2019-20 term, Maddock was chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation. In his first Department of Transportation budget proposal, Maddock sought to take bids for some of the state’s assets, including airports, rest stops and, most famously, the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron. The latter of those proposals came under heavy criticism. Maddock was not assigned to chair a subcommittee in his second term.

Maddock and Hall have historically not been on good terms within the Republican caucus, but Maddock praised Hall for his ability to put together a strong team for the budget.

“We may not always agree on everything … but I think Speaker Hall is wise enough to see real talent and use it where it’s needed,” he said. “I was looking for a good outcome, and I can’t think of anything better than this team right now.”

Hall also named Farhat the minority vice chair. The pick was not in line with Puri’s recommendation, who publicized his recommendations Tuesday afternoon after submitting them to Hall.

During the press conference, Hall sent a member of his staff to find Farhat to join him, Bollin and Maddock in the House Appropriations Committee Room.

Prior to naming Farhat, Hall said that he wanted to make sure that he made good selections for both Republicans and Democrats based on their campaign promises, backgrounds and skill set.

At the press conference, Hall welcomed Farhat into the room and apologized for not sharing the news of the appointment with him sooner.

“I’m still composing what exactly to say right now,” Farhat said. “I’ll say this, though, the budget is a serious process … It’s a constitutional obligation we have to pass a balanced budget, and I’ll be working with my caucus to deliver real wins and value to taxpayers. I know we agree on roads, so hopefully, there’s a lot more alignment there. Right now, I think the conversation has to be around the cost-of-living crisis that people are experiencing and how we solve that and how we take real steps towards affordability, which I know we’ve started these past two years.”

Farhat said he planned to lean on Anthony, who attended the press conference.

Tuesday’s announcement was unconventional in a couple of ways. It’s the latest a speaker has announced the Appropriations chair in 28 years. Since then, speakers generally have announced their choice in November or December. Also different was the use of a press conference. Speakers typically announce their pick via press release. That the speaker’s choice for minority vice chair also was part of the press conference was another wrinkle.

What was not unusual was for Hall to spurn the minority leader’s preference for minority vice chair. Former House Speaker Kevin Cotter did so in the 2015-16 term. And in the last term, Hall as minority leader wanted then-Rep. Andrew Fink as minority vice chair, but then-Speaker Joe Tate picked Rep. Sarah Lightner instead.

At the press conference, Farhat requested that House Democrats have input on committee assignments, which Hall granted, specifying he would take input from Farhat.

“I will give you that opportunity to give us the feedback, so that we can make sure we have good people that are ready to help bring value for our tax dollars,” Hall said.

Hall alleged that Puri made committee recommendations to punish members, but no member of the Democratic caucus was left out of Puri’s recommendations. A source speaking on background with knowledge of the process said the only decision that could be viewed as “punishment” in the Democratic recommendations was not recommending Rep. Angela Witwer (D-Delta Township) for House Appropriations. That decision had more to do with what Republicans were likely to accept, the source said.

Witwer was Appropriations chair in the 2023-24 term though she did not serve on the committee her first two terms in the House.

A Democratic source speaking on background said that there were members of the House Democratic Caucus who were not pleased with Farhat as the pick for minority vice chair.

Puri’s pick was Rep. Will Snyder (D-Muskegon), though he did recommend Farhat serve on the House Appropriations Committee.

The Democratic recommendations that Puri submitted to Hall on Tuesday were based on an internal caucus Committee on Committees process, which was chaired by Rep. Jasper Martus (D-Flushing) and guided by the preferences of members and their experience, according to the letter Puri sent Hall.

“The CoC process was very collaborative, including multiple surveys as well as follow-up discussions with members as finalizations were made,” Puri’s letter said.

Snyder was recommended because he was seen as a middle ground pick who would still push back against Republican interests, the Democratic source said, because it seemed unlikely Witwer would be accepted by House Republicans.

The source compared the situation that unfolded Tuesday to what happened in 2015, when former Speaker Kevin Cotter appointed former Rep. Pam Faris as the minority vice chair of the Appropriations Committee despite the Democrats’ preference for then-Rep. Brandon Dillon.

At that time, Faris and all other Democrats on House Appropriations Committee said that they would abide by the wishes of Democratic leadership and decline the vice chair slot. So, Cotter appointed then-Rep. Harvey Santana, who gained a reputation of working with Republicans and was ultimately asked not to caucus with Democrats.

Hall appointed Farhat prior to House Democrats publicizing their recommendations.

The source said although not all House Democrats were aware of the differences in what their Committee on Committees requested and Tuesday’s minority vice chair appointment, members were likely to ask Farhat to reject the assignment.

Puri, though asked for comment on the Appropriations appointments, provided a statement on committee assignments more broadly.

“It is a long-standing tradition for minority leadership to weigh in on their caucus’ committee assignments. These recommendations are an important part of the legislative tradition – it is fundamental to uphold the customs of our system in order to provide confidence in our democracy and ensure transparency in the process,” he said. “Our caucus members shared which committees they felt best suited for, and it is from that process we have made our recommendations. … With my recommendations today, we aim to continue representing and serving Michigan’s diverse population by bringing our skills and commitment to the committee process.”

Farhat, when asked about Puri’s recommendation for the minority vice chair, reiterated that he was optimistic he could deliver for House Democrats.

“I spoke to the governor, we are ready to get to work,” he said.

Hall said that he was uninterested in the relationship dynamics related to his Appropriations picks.

“These are the type of decisions that leaders have to make … no one care about who I got along with or didn’t get along with. All they care about is, are we putting the best people forward to get the results that we told the people of Michigan we were going to do?” he said. “I’m proud to say today these people leading our Appropriations Committee are going to deliver on that balance.”

Hall said one of his priorities with the budget was to fund roads without raising taxes and to review programs for their effectiveness. He also expressed interest in limiting the use of conference committees for the budget process.

“We’re not coming here because we want to slash,” Bollin said. “All we want to do is increase the transparency and accountability and make sure that every program is giving us value for the dollar.”