State Rep. Helena Scott warns Ferndale council of proposed Lansing budget cuts

State Representative Helena Scott (D‑8th District) addressed the Ferndale City Council on Sept. 8 to summarize legislative budget developments in Lansing and their potential effects on local families and communities.

Scott said House Republicans had proposed a budget that, in her view, would cut funding for K‑12 education, health services and local governments. She cited multiple line‑item reductions she attributed to the House plan, including cuts to school funding, the Department of Health and Human Services, nutrition and housing programs and state revenue‑sharing to cities, villages and counties. Scott said she and her Democratic colleagues voted against the House plan and that the proposal was moving to the Senate, where negotiations were ongoing.

“I just wanted to come and let you know really what's happening in Lansing,” Scott said. She told council the deadline for a signed budget is Oct. 1 and warned that without a signed budget the state would face a shutdown. Scott said Democrats retained a majority in the Senate but were a minority in the House, and she said she would keep the council updated on negotiations.

Scott’s presentation was informational; no city action was required. She took a few council questions and said she would continue to represent the district’s interests in Lansing.

Key figures cited in the presentation (as reported by Representative Scott): the House proposal included multi‑hundred‑million‑dollar reductions to health and human services, food assistance, housing supports and other programs; Scott characterized many of the cuts as harmful to Michigan families and local governments.

Scott identified herself as representing parts of Wayne and Oakland counties, including the city of Ferndale and Pleasant Ridge in Oakland County.