LANSING, Mich. (WOOD) — In Lansing, the majority of lawmakers’ attention over the next two months will be on the budget.

The $79 billion spending plan will be a reflection of Democrats’ priorities now that they hold the majority in both chambers and the governor’s office. In the first four months of this session, Democrats have passed many of the items that have long been on their to-do list, often over the objection of and without votes from Republicans.

But state Sen. Sarah Anthony, D-Lansing, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, said that when it comes to the budget, she wants everybody on board.

“On a weekly basis, I’m meeting with my Republican counterpart,” Anthony told News 8 Monday. “So every week we have a check-in just to talk about floor strategies and what’s coming forward in committee and also having him lift up Republican priorities, which you will see baked into our budget even this week.”

She added that some of Democrats’ bills have had broad support from the public, regardless of whether Republicans have been fully on board.

“…Some of the bills that we’ve already passed, some of the supplementals, have had the interest of all Michiganders in mind,” she said. “I mean, universally, we have been praised for things like the (earned income tax credit) — expanding that to 30%, that will be transformative for so many working Michiganders. Think about the retirement tax, right? These are things that regardless of party lines, people across the state have said, ‘Thank you.'”

You can hear more of Anthony’s comments on the budget process and what she hopes to include on this weekend’s “To The Point.”