{"id":2502425,"date":"2025-10-23T16:22:56","date_gmt":"2025-10-23T20:22:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/michigan-dnr-budget-increase-despite-gop-concerns\/"},"modified":"2025-10-23T16:25:42","modified_gmt":"2025-10-23T20:25:42","slug":"michigan-dnr-budget-increase-despite-gop-concerns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/michigan-dnr-budget-increase-despite-gop-concerns\/","title":{"rendered":"Michigan DNR budget increase despite GOP concerns"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">14<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fmichigan-dnr-budget-increase-despite-gop-concerns%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2502425&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is set too receive a budget increase for the 2025-2026 fiscal year, rising from $534.6 million to $543.2 million,despite Republican concerns and calls to defund the department due to controversies and demands for greater transparency. Even though the DNR&#8217;s gross appropriations increased by 1.6%, the number of <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >full-time positions slightly decreased<\/a> from 2,539 to 2,509, with some positions labeled as &#8220;ghost employees&#8221; by Republicans.Most of the funding boost comes from one-time appropriations and capital expenditures aimed at projects like fish production, ice storm wildlife protection, and reforestation. Importantly, the budget avoids raising hunting or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/fiscal-fallout-washington-state-government-spending-surges-116-since-2015-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Fiscal fallout: Washington ... government spending surges 116% since 2015 - Washington Examiner\">fishing license fees<\/a> and does not impose mandatory state park passes, which some Democrats had proposed. Republican lawmakers see these outcomes as victories, emphasizing that the department should manage its resources better rather than seeking fee increases that might discourage outdoor activities.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Michigan DNR budget increase despite GOP concerns<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2381492\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>(The Center Square)&nbsp;&ndash; Funding for the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/michigan\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Michigan<\/a> Department of Natural Resources is increasing going into the new <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/fiscal\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">fiscal<\/a> year, despite calls for its defunding.<\/p>\n<p>Republicans have long been&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thecentersquare.com\/michigan\/article_91be3ee3-0f43-439a-bc5f-d616a8f966f4.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">pushing<\/a>&nbsp;for increased transparency and accountability at the department, which has recently faced a number of controversies.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/house\/3861690\/virginia-democrats-redistricting-fight-plan-counter-trump-agenda\/\">Virginia Democrats jump into redistricting fight with plan to counter Trump agenda<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3861751\/trump-calls-off-federal-deployment-san-francisco\/\">Trump calls off federal deployment to San Francisco after call with &#8216;friends&#8217; and mayor<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/washington-secrets\/3861714\/historian-craig-shirley-dismisses-trump-ballroom-critics\/\">Historian dismisses Trump critics: &lsquo;White House a work in progress since 1800&rsquo;<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>While the recently-signed budget does not include cuts in gross appropriations for DNR, Republican lawmakers still applauded some of the changes the budget did make.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We took significant steps to ensure the Department of Natural Resources would not have the resources or authority to continue their unchecked power grab throughout Michigan,&rdquo; said Rep. Ken Borton, R-Gaylord. &ldquo;Our budget agreement ensures the DNR will not continue its legal warfare against honest hog farmers, no solar or wind projects will be forced on state land, and no residents will be charged or fined for simply feeding the birds near their homes.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Comparing the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.michigan.gov\/budget\/-\/media\/Project\/Websites\/budget\/Fiscal\/Final-Signed-Budget-Bills\/FY26-General-Omnibus-HB-4706-PA-22-of-2025-Includes-2025-Supplemental-Funding.pdf?rev=e6275c7a5f5949c98424f3f3e3a6dfb1&amp;hash=EFC20B1EE2CEABA19206773FFAE48DB1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2025-2026 fiscal budget<\/a>, which was just signed at the beginning of the month, to last year&rsquo;s&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.michigan.gov\/budget\/-\/media\/Project\/Websites\/budget\/Fiscal\/Final-Signed-Budget-Bills\/FY25-General-Omnibus-SB-747-PA-121-of-2024-Includes-2024-Supplemental-Funding.pdf?rev=779648126e62470d8b67e663f3e6c6ad&amp;hash=FB6BC76CD0AB599DA314F0FB2095A42E\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">budget<\/a>, the department saw a slight increase in its funding. This comes despite a slight decrease in the overall budget spending.<\/p>\n<p>Gross appropriations for the DNR increased from $534.6 million to $543.2 million. Like some other departments throughout the state, there was a slight drop in the number of employees at the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.<\/p>\n<p>In the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/5-disturbing-findings-from-planned-parenthoods-annual-report\/\" title=\"5 Disturbing Findings from Planned Parenthood\u2019s Annual Report\">previous fiscal year<\/a>, there were 2,539 full-time positions. In this coming year, there was a slight decrease to 2,509. Republicans labeled those 30 positions &ldquo;ghost employees,&rdquo; meaning the department received funding for them, but never filled them.<\/p>\n<p>That means, while the department saw a 1.6% increase in its budget, it also had a 1.2% decrease in full-time positions.<\/p>\n<p>While many of the agencies within the DNR saw relatively little change in their budgets from last year to this, the majority of the increase in funding came from an increase in one-time appropriations and capital expenditures for lands and infrastructure.<\/p>\n<p>Some of those one-time appropriations included projects like:<\/p>\n<p>&bull; Fish production<\/p>\n<p>&bull;&nbsp;Ice storm wildlife protection<\/p>\n<p>&bull;&nbsp;Reforestation<\/p>\n<p>Notably, the DNR&rsquo;s budget also did not include any increases in hunting or fishing licensing fees. It will also not make it mandatory to buy a pass to state parks, something some Democrat lawmakers had proposed.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/3835736\/michigan-passes-budget-cuts-marijuana-tax\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">MICHIGAN PASSES LONG-AWAITED BUDGET WITH CUTS, 24% MARIJUANA TAX<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Borton praised both of those as wins for Michiganders.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;The DNR already has plenty of resources,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;If they believe they need additional funding, they should look within instead of pursuing fee hikes that will drive more people away from the outdoors.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Michigan DNR budget rises despite GOP calls for cuts<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2869,"featured_media":2502426,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/michigan-state-legislature-votes-jan-2025.webp?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[54060,36279,37278,65778,37181],"class_list":["post-2502425","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-budget-increase","tag-environmental-policy","tag-gop-concerns","tag-michigan-dnr","tag-state-funding"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/michigan-state-legislature-votes-jan-2025.webp?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2502425","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2869"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2502425"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2502425\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2502429,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2502425\/revisions\/2502429"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2502426"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2502425"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2502425"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2502425"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}