Ways & Means sends advice on governor's budget adjustment, backs childcare reserve and allocation changes

The Ways & Means Committee on Friday agreed to send a formal memo with recommendations on the governor's budget adjustment bill, endorsing changes to childcare funding, property transfer tax allocations, and a transfer to the Liquor Control Enterprise Fund while reserving further action on a proposal to remove a sunset on marriage-license fees.

The committee's advice, drafted by staff and reviewed in committee, recommends that appropriations for the Child Care Financial Assistance Program (CCFAP) be aligned with projected expenditures and revenues and that the committee explore formally establishing a reserve within the dedicated childcare fund to manage revenue and expenditure volatility. The committee also recommended changing the property transfer tax (PTT) allocation in the governor's proposed budget adjustment so allocations conform to the percentages the Legislature adopted in Act 113 rather than the statutory default the governor's language followed. The committee noted it was generally supportive of a transfer into the Liquor Control Enterprise Fund to restore balance and asked liquor and lottery staff for steps to avoid future deficits. On H.6, a bill to remove the sunset on an increased marriage-license fee, the committee agreed to continue discussion and review it again when the budget adjustment returns to the…