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Originally published Friday, October 30, 2009 at 12:51 PM

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A look at Michigan budget bills, governor's vetoes

Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm is done signing the state budget for the fiscal year that started Oct. 1. A look at bills approved Friday:

The Associated Press

Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm is done signing the state budget for the fiscal year that started Oct. 1. A look at bills approved Friday:

-COMMUNITY HEALTH: Includes an 8 percent cut to hospitals, doctors and nursing homes that care for 1.7 million residents on Medicaid, the government-funded health program for the poor and disabled; and a $40 million reduction for mental health services. Granholm vetoed $5 million in payments to hospitals that serve a disproportionately high number of indigent or uninsured patients.

-HUMAN SERVICES: Includes more money overall than last year, attributed largely to more food assistance in the federal stimulus act. Granholm said field staff, child welfare, day care, juvenile justice, and employment and training programs were drastically reduced, though. She vetoed money for local projects, marriage and fatherhood initiatives and a statewide before- and after-school program for at-risk children.

-STATE POLICE: Includes money to rehire 55 of 104 troopers laid off earlier in the year, authorizes the agency to move into a controversial new headquarters building and helps state crime labs with extra caseloads from the closure of Detroit's lab. Granholm said she was dismayed the budget has no money for school bus safety inspections. She directed the department to find funding in its budget for the inspections.

-GENERAL GOVERNMENT: Includes an 11 percent cut in revenue-sharing payments for local governments, which use the money for police, fire and other services. The Legislature and executive office were cut 10 percent. The attorney general's office and other agencies also get less. Granholm vetoed all funding for the state fair in Detroit and money for census tracking and the drawing of new political districts.

-HIGHER EDUCATION: Includes a 0.4 percent cut to 15 state universities, which were spared from a deeper reduction because of the federal recovery act. But student financial aid was cut more than 61 percent. Granholm said she was disappointed the Legislature eliminated funding for Promise scholarships, which are worth up to $4,000. She is still pushing to raise revenue for the scholarship program.

-ENERGY, LABOR & ECONOMIC GROWTH: Includes money to add the equivalent of 300 full-time positions to help with a spike in workers filing for unemployment benefits. Granholm vetoed spending she said would undermine the department's competitive process for awarding grants and impede the priority of training displaced workers with new job skills.

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