Michigan lawmakers expected to work into Friday to reach budget deal after missing July deadline

Michigan lawmakers and their staffers are expected to work late Thursday and into early Friday morning to get the state budget across the finish line after missing the July 1 deadline for the second year in a row.

"I wish we had sleeping bags in our offices ... we're here, and sometimes there's pauses in between some of the action, but the budget is a very large document," said state Rep. Mike Harris, R-Waterford. 

In other words, any tweaks to the budget document take a while. Harris said that one of the sticking points holding up a deal is the effort to limit spending on individual projects in members' districts. 

"Since republicans took the majority, pork projects have been a huge concern, and I'm sure you've seen we've reigned in a lot of wasteful spending, and we think our citizens deserve that. So, our continuation this year is to keep reigning in the budget," he said.

Harris said he thinks maintaining a smaller budget will help improve affordability and he's optimistic that a deal is near. But state Rep. Tyrone Carter, D-Detroit, said he's deeply frustrated by the lack of details in the budget and missing the deadline.

"Usually, I would have an idea of where targets were, where conversations were, and we can sit down and have those conversations, but here we are again," said Carter.  

Carter said that although he feels Democrats are negotiating in good faith, a missed deadline reflects poorly on the entire legislature. 

"All I read in the paper and see in the media is that we did not meet our deadlines and what the impact is on schools, which is a priority, and that is the frustrating part because we don't have to wait until the last minute to do our part. We can do better," he said.