LANSING – Two more budgets were cleared out of conference committees on Sunday, but work remains on four more. While the budgets for the Department of Corrections and Department of Education cleared conference panels, meetings for the human services, community health, general government and transportation were cancelled Sunday and rescheduled for Tuesday.

No formal budget meetings are scheduled for Monday, which is the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur. The new fiscal year begins Thursday.

While the lawmakers on conference committees, lobbyists, staff members and reporters gathered in the quiet Capitol, fewer than three dozen Tea Party tax protestors gathered in the front of the building, most holding signs railing against possible tax increases. One woman held a sign saying, “You can’t fix stupid, but you can vote it out.”

A number of the protestors also took small tours of the capitol to watch the conference committees in action.

CORRECTIONS: The department will see an $87.5 million cut in general fund spending compared to the current fiscal year and much of that will be made up by DOC officials combing through various programs to come up with the equivalent of $841 in savings per prisoner.

The conference report concurs with Gov. Jennifer Granholm’s recommendation to close the prisons in Standish, Muskegon and Hiawatha.

Rep. Alma Wheeler Smith (D-Salem Twp.), chair of HB 4437 , said the department will be asked to look at a variety of programs to cut costs, including prisoner health care and education, food service, transportation and facility maintenance.

But the county jail reimbursement program will see an additional $4.3 million in funding above the current fiscal year. While the DOC has to tap that same avenue of efficiencies and savings to fund the extra money, Rep. John Proos (R-St. Joseph) said it was critical to fund the program because it provides services at a lower cost than the state.

Still, Sen. Liz Brater (D-Ann Arbor) rejected the conference budget, saying while steps were taken to address some of her concerns, the fact is there are juveniles and people with mental illness not receiving the care they need while behind bars.

Sen. Alan Cropsey (R-DeWitt) said the budget is not one that “anybody likes,” but reflects the tough choices that have to be made with limited funding.

The budget totals $1.93 billion, $1.87 billion of which is paid for in general funds. Overall, the budget cuts $87.5 million in general fund spending for the department, which represents a 4.5 percent reduction.

EDUCATION: State aid to local libraries will see a $4 million cut under a budget voted out of a conference committee on Sunday.

Voting on HB 4438 saw conference chair Rep. Terry Brown (D-Pigeon) oppose his own bill, while the other five members of the panel supported the Department of Education budget.

Granholm had recommended the libraries receive $10 million in state aid.

Brown said the face of many communities is the local library and they are already struggling as it is. He said he voted against the bill because the libraries need help as more people access services because of the economy.

Sen. Ron Jelinek (R-Three Oaks) said every budget needs more money, but lawmakers have to balance the budget.

The budget includes transfer of the Library of Michigan to the DOE from the Department of History, Arts and Libraries.

Overall, the budget in HB 4438 totals $112.9 million ($19.4 million in general funds). The general fund increase is $12 million, or 161.2 percent more than the current fiscal year, but all of that represents the department’s takeover of the library.

But the conference committee cut library operations by $511,000. Funding for two book distribution centers was restored.

Boilerplate states it is the intent of the Legislature that the library and its related programs are kept together under a state department.

On top of annualizing the May executive order budget cuts, the conference report cuts a variety of program general funds within the department including: $139,900 from special education operations, $115,000 school improvement operations, $62,100 school finance and school law operations, $130,100 State Board of Education and superintendent operations, $45,000 central support, $80,000 subject area content expectation, $112,900 grants administration and school support and $54,500 career tech.

Early education programs also would see a $98,000 hit.

Alternative teacher certification program earmarks were completely eliminated, saving $300,000 in restricted.

Information technology support for the department was also pared down.

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