LANSING – The governor’s proposed fiscal year 2015-16 budget for the Strategic Fund maintains funding for film incentives at $50 million for now despite Governor Rick Snyder using an executive order to slash current year funding for the program by $12 million, but at least one House Republican isn’t keen on keeping that $50 million number intact.

Just as happened with last year’s budget, the money is divided into ongoing and one-time funding, with $25 million going to each.

But Rep. Laura Cox (R-Livonia), chair of the House Appropriations General Government Subcommittee overseeing that budget, said she is not much into film incentives and believes the money could be used elsewhere.

“I’m happy to lead the Legislature under this budget to make that cut,” Cox said. “I think there will be support within the Republican caucus and bipartisan support of cutting that.”

She said that while it’s “cool and exciting” to say a film was made in Michigan, the costs outweigh the reward.

“The reward, the benefit, isn’t showing up on the bottom line,” she said. “There’s other things we can do with that money to entice businesses of all types to come to Michigan.”

She acknowledged that complete elimination is highly unlikely but hopes to reduce how much is provided for film incentives.

Snyder, who has criticized the film incentive for years and unsuccessfully sought to cut it, hardly made a firm case for keeping it at $50 million. He told reporters he knew the subject was a matter of interest to legislators and looked forward to seeing how they handled the issue.

Beyond film incentives, the governor’s proposed budget invests a total of $129 million into business attraction and community revitalization efforts, including $111.1 million on an ongoing basis and $17.9 million of one-time General Fund money.

The skilled trades training program funded through the Strategic Fund maintains at $10 million under the governor’s proposed budget, but additional investments in the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs budget adds $10 million (see separate story), for a total of $20 million between the two agencies. The executive budget also maintains $426 million for workforce development programs.

The increased funding for various skilled trades programs and initiatives was praised by the Michigan Manufacturers Association.

“The governor’s enhanced focus on developing more skilled workers in manufacturing will help create new jobs and make Michigan more competitive,” Mike Johnston, vice president of government affairs for the MMA, said in a statement. “The Skilled Trades Training Fund has been highly successful and a tremendous resource for manufacturers and people looking for good pay and a long-term career.”

Along with existing programs, Governor Snyder’s budget recommends more than $83 million toward career and technology education and initiatives to combat Michigan’s skills shortage.

The executive budget proposal also includes $238 million for the Michigan State Housing Development Authority and maintains $4 million General Fund support for the Land Bank Fast Track Authority to aid in redevelopment of tax-reverted properties. The governor’s detailed budget document notes that MSHDA will eventually be housed in the state’s newest department, the Department of Talent and Economic Development (an executive budget revision will be made once that department becomes official in March).

DTMB: The budget proposal gives the Department of Technology, Management and Budget a minimal 0.2 percent increase overall, to $1.26 billion, but holds General Fund steady at $478.88 million.

A substantial portion of the budget, $482.2 million, goes to information technology operations and improvements. The budget includes the recommended increase of the information technology investment fund to $70 million to boost cyber security efforts.

State buildings would also see additional support, with funds for special maintenance increasing to $31 million from $23 million in the current fiscal year.

The budget would cut $2 million GF from the Public Safety Communications System (leaving $39.8 million) and $1.1 million from the Civil Service Commission (to $67.9 million).

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