Michigan Gov. Whitmer Seeks to Slash Auditor General’s Budget by 28 Percent

Auditor General Doug Ringler warned the decrease ‘would significantly impair the oversight’ his office provides.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announces new economic development projects at an event in Grand Rapids, Mich., on Oct. 5, 2022. Bill Pugliano/Getty Images

Amid a projected $418 million state surplus for Fiscal 2025, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, is proposing to slash $8.3 million from the Office of the Auditor General’s (OAG) $30 million annual budget.

The independent and non-political OAG has been the target of criticism from Michigan Democrats and Republicans over the years. The partisan divide has been exacerbated by Ms. Whitmer’s proposal.