- Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer called for more investment in education in her State of the State address Wednesday.
- Whitmer also urged lawmakers to introduce a $1 billion investment in housing and pass a $5,000 tax credit for long-term care costs.
- The governor emphasized that Biden's policies have propelled Michigan's “manufacturing renaissance.”
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, in her State of the State address Wednesday night, focused on reducing costs for residents through initiatives such as free community college for all high school graduates and free kindergarten for 4-year-olds. He called for increased investment in education.
The second-term Democratic governor's speech was the first since Democrats took full control of state government last January and came ahead of a legislative session that could require cooperation from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. The state House remains tied 54-54 until at least April, when special elections will be held for two vacant seats.
Whitmer's speech emphasized that the state is investing more than $1 billion to build and rehabilitate homes in the state, and said she plans to “build, build, build.” She also urged lawmakers to pass a tax credit of up to $5,000 for long-term care costs, including counseling, transportation, and nursing or respite services.
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“We will build a Michigan where people have the support they need to get back up when they fall. We will reduce the cost of the biggest line items in our budgets, improve education so our children can thrive, and ensure that you Allowing you to “get it done”. It doesn’t matter who you are or what you’ve been through,” Whitmer said.
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer delivers the State of the Union address to a joint session of the House and Senate at the State Capitol in Lansing, Michigan, on January 24, 2024. Whitmer called on lawmakers to pass increased investment in education to save residents money. (AP Photo/Al Gordis)
The governor also used the opportunity to highlight the policies Democrats will implement in 2023, the first year the party has had full control of the agenda in more than 40 years. Democrats worked to repeal laws restricting labor unions known as “right to work,” overhaul gun laws in the state, and further protect both LGBTQ+ and abortion rights.
Many of the initiatives highlighted in Whitmer's speech align with key issues that national Democrats are emphasizing ahead of the November election. Voter sentiment about the party's policy agenda in Michigan could be crucial to the upcoming presidential election, which could hinge on the outcome of battleground states.
“I can't solve global inflation alone. No one can solve it, not even the president,” said Whitmer, co-chair of President Joe Biden's re-election campaign. The governor highlighted Biden's policies multiple times in his speech, saying they have propelled Michigan's “manufacturing renaissance.”
Republican leaders criticized Whitmer for failing to make substantial improvements to education, infrastructure and economic development in the state in five years. House Minority Leader Rep. Matt Hall described Whitmer's agenda as a “short-term idea designed to get a lot of coverage and attention, presumably for national political ambitions.”
“What we saw in tonight's speech is a long list of promises that only provide short-term funding,” Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt told reporters after the speech.
Hall and Nesbitt each pointed to a report released in December by a bipartisan commission focused on the state's population growth that Whitmer created last year. According to the report, Michigan ranks near the bottom of all states in population growth, median income and new housing construction.
Whitmer is focused on addressing these issues through economic development. On Wednesday, he proposed introducing research and development tax credits and an innovation fund to invest in high-growth startups.
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Many of the proposals would require funding in the next state budget, including plans to make community college free and Whitmer's call to make preschool free for 4-year-olds by the end of the year.
It remains to be seen how quickly, if at all, Whitmer's initiative will be brought before the state Legislature. Several key proposals that Whitmer requested last year, including paid family and medical leave, have yet to be approved by lawmakers, and she remained absent from Wednesday's speech.
The state House of Representatives is expected to remain deadlocked until a special election in April, and questions remain about whether each party will pursue bipartisanship. The 2024 legislative session began on January 10, but so far very few votes have been cast.
A special election for the seats will be held on April 16 after the two Democratic members who won the mayor's race late last year vacated their seats. Democrats are expected to easily win both seats, which would allow them to push through their late-game agenda. April.
