Backers of the successful 2018 effort to create an independent commission for drawing political maps in Michigan slammed a budget plan that would shift its funding from the Secretary of State’s office to the legislature, accusing lawmakers of “working to sabotage the commission.”

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer had initially asked for $4.6 million to cover the constitutional spending obligation passed in Proposal 2, the redistricting commission ballot initiative backed by Voters Not Politicians, to be put in the Secretary of State’s budget.

In the general government budget passed by both the House and Senate Tuesday, funding for the commission would be handled by the legislature, not the Secretary of State’s office. The plan also reduces total funding for the commission to $3.4 million.

Funding for the commission was tied in the ballot language to be a certain percentage of the Secretary of State’s budget. The general government spending plan reduces the Secretary of State’s general fund budget to correlate with the proposed decrease in spending for the commission.

Asked why legislative Republicans felt the change was necessary, House Speaker Lee Chatfield, R-Levering, said the ballot language states that Constitutionally-required funding for the commission should be housed within the legislature.

“This is simply following the law,” he said.

Voters Not Politicians Executive Director Nancy Wang said in a statement legislative leadership are playing a “shell game” with the Secretary of State’s budget to cut funding for the commission and using the budget process as a workaround.

“Previously, they launched their attacks in state court, during lame duck, and, most recently, in federal court. Now, politicians are using the budget process to try to undermine the redistricting reform amendment approved by 2.5 million voters in 2018,” she said.

Wang said Voters Not Politicians will continue to stand against any efforts to undermine the commission: “We have stood up to these political games before.”

Up to this point, the Secretary of State has been using existing funds to promote and prepare for the upcoming application process for the independent redistricting commission.

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson previously told reporters the success of the redistricting process “may very well hinge on whether or not the legislature fully funds it at every stage.”

Under the constitutional language approved by voters, the Secretary of State is required to mail applications to a minimum of 10,000 randomly selected Michigan voters. Benson has expressed interest in doing as much outreach as possible to ensure the commission’s success.

The general government budget was one of several passed out of the House and Senate Tuesday that will soon head to Whitmer for final review.

The legislature passed a series of individual budgets Tuesday, totaling $59.9 billion in spending overall - a 2.8 percent increase over the current budget, but less than the $60.2 billion recommended in Whitmer’s budget proposal. The plan includes a $5.4 billion transportation budget that incorporates $400 million in one-time spending for roads.

The commission is currently facing challenges in federal court.

Complaints filed by 15 Michigan GOP politicians and residents who are ineligible to serve on the independent redistricting commission and the Michigan Republican Party contend requirements approved by voters in 2018 are unconstitutional, therefore the entire commission must be scrapped.

Michigan voters are ineligible to serve on the 13-member redistricting commission if they were a candidate or elected official, worked as a registered lobbyist or consultant, were an officer for a political party or employed by the legislature in the last six years. Family members of those with political ties are also ineligible.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel asked the court to dismiss the suit, arguing plaintiffs with partisan affiliations and family connections aren’t banned from the commission to protect it from political bias.