Michigan officials meet to project size of budget

Michigan officials meet, get consensus on size of 2013-14 budget, economic forecast

LANSING, Mich. (AP) -- Michigan officials have an idea of how much money is available for the next state budget.

The $20.7 billion in expected state revenue is in line with what was agreed to last May. Gov. Rick Snyder will use the agreement reached Friday to finalize a budget proposal for the fiscal year that begins in October.

Michigan could get about $220 million less this budget year than projected in May because of tax cuts and other changes. But the state budget director says Snyder and lawmakers weren't caught off guard because they accounted for those changes when passing the current budget.

It's early to gauge what the numbers mean for spending on K-12 schools and other priorities. But a key lawmaker says a "little more" could go to schools next year.