State Rep. Rylee Linting is supporting a pair of Downriver projects, working to provide them with the full funding they were promised while continuing a transparent process for how taxpayer dollars are spent.

Linting submitted the budget project requests as funding applications were made available to start the new year, highlighting her commitment to ensuring local needs are met. A legislative committee recently paused multiple state grants for work projects when funds were still unspent at the end of the 2024-25 budget year.

Linting noted at the time that worthwhile local projects were being swept up alongside others that lacked progress or accountability.

“I went to the state Capitol to fight for our communities and make sure Downriver gets the attention it deserves,” said Linting, of Grosse Ile Township. “The two projects I am working to restore funding for had previously been budgeted and promised for our area, and there is a clear plan for how dollars will be used. These projects invest in the future of our communities and help make Downriver a better place to live and work.”

Linting has submitted a $3.25 million funding allocation for the remainder of a $6.5 million project for the Downriver Community Conference (DCC), which will go to infrastructure improvements, 911 operations, and expansion of services at a new DCC headquarters. The funding will also provide small business grants throughout the area.

Linting said the DCC is a model for the state and invests in people to help them pursue livelihoods and build careers. She has also sponsored the remaining $1.5 million of a $2 million project for rehabilitation at the Downriver Council of the Arts center in Wyandotte. A total of $500,000 had already been disbursed for the project.

Under new requirements designed to improve transparency and oversight, all state-funded projects must now have a legislative sponsor, be submitted to a public website, and remain publicly posted for at least 45 days before they can be included in a state spending measure.

“I am working on this immediately to meet these new standards and fight for promises made to our communities,” Linting said. “Whether it is through a special supplemental bill or through the annual budget process, I will do everything I can to bring these needed resources to Downriver.”