LANSING – A 2.4 percent increase in funding for the Department of Technology, Management and Budget was recommended on Wednesday with $5 million going to cyber security improvements. Gov. Snyder said during his budget presentation that the state is facing “more and more attacks from the cyber world.”

In the DTMB budget recommendation, $5 million would go toward improvements to safeguard private information and critical infrastructure.

“Increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks, malware and other unprecedented security challenges require an ongoing vigilance to protect the state,” the budget recommendation said. “Investment in the state’s cyber security framework is critical as citizen demand grows for additional access to state programs and services through mobile and online applications.

In total, the recommendation for DTMB in the 2016-17 fiscal year is $1.288 billion ($474.9 million General Fund).

Also included in the DTMB budget is planning authorizations for certain university, community college and state agency capital outlay projects. The estimated cost of the projects is $184 million with $123.5 million from the state.

$502 million is recommended for information technology support for all state agencies. Another $132.8 million ($32.5 million General Fund) is included for fourteen high priority information technology projects in seven agencies.

The Information and Technology Investment Fund is also increased by $7 million to reach $72 million, with $5 million of that increase to go toward replacing the legacy system at the Department of Treasury.

Finally, under Mr. Snyder’s recommendation the Civil Service Commission received a $1.6 million increase to bring its total funding to $69.5 million.

DTMB SUPPLEMENTAL: The Department of Technology, Management and Budget would lose a net $18.2 million from the current fiscal year under the supplemental proposed as part of the budget. Much of the change is $26.5 million General Fund saved by refinancing State Building Authority debt.

But $5 million General Fund is added back to cover outside legal counsel for major litigation. Kurt Weiss, spokesperson for the State Budget Office, said it is not specifically for any one case.

The proposal also provides $2.8 million from the pension fund to cover costs of changing accounting systems.

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