State of the State – Progress for Michigan
State of Michigan – January 31, 2022
Dear Friend,
Last week, I delivered the State of the State address. I spoke about the kitchen-table issues that unite us as Michiganders and the progress we have made together. While there is much work left to do, I am so proud of the way we have come together to get things done and make a real difference for Michigan families.
- We have repaired, rehabilitated, or rebuilt 13,198 miles of road and 903 bridges, making safe commutes for Michiganders and supporting 82,000 jobs.
- I signed a bipartisan budget to fix an additional 100 bridges and create 2,500 good-paying jobs in 2022.
- We launched the Rebuilding Michigan Plan to build up roads, highways, and bridges with the right mix and material to support over 45,000 jobs without raising taxes.
- In 2019, I signed historic, bipartisan auto insurance reform saving drivers hundreds of dollars per year. By May 9, 2022, Michigan drivers will receive a $400 refund check per vehicle.
- In November 2021, I repealed the sales tax on tampons and menstrual products, which will save consumers hundreds of dollars in taxes.
- We delivered aid on energy bills to 175,000 households to keep families safe and warm through the winter.
- I signed a bipartisan bill against surprise medical billing, protecting Michiganders from unexpectedly high out-of-pocket expenses.
- In December, I signed a bipartisan bill providing an additional $409 million to small businesses affected by COVID-19.
- I worked with folks across the aisle to secure a $7 billion investment from General Motors, creating and retaining 5,000 good-paying jobs in Michigan.
- Last October, I reestablished prevailing wage for state contracts, guaranteeing these workers get a fair wage.
- Over the last three years, I have delivered over $420 million in relief to small businesses, helping them retain over 200,000 jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- We enacted a bipartisan tax cut for small businesses, helping them grow and create jobs.
- Three years in a row, we have made the largest investment into education in state history without raising taxes. Last year’s budget closed the funding gap between schools to improve opportunities for students all across the state of Michigan.
- I have invested in on-campus mental health, helping schools hire more than 560 mental health professionals to support students, educators, and families.
- We have put over 170,000 Michiganders on a tuition-free path to higher education with the Michigan Reconnect and Futures for Frontliners programs.
- I expanded low- and no-cost childcare so that more than 1 in 3 kids and their families are eligible, helping parents get back to work knowing their children are safe.
- We delivered bonuses of up to $1,000 to 38,000 full-time childcare professionals through the Child Care Stabilization Grants.
Water, Clean Energy, and the Environment
- I invested over $2 billion in water infrastructure, keeping millions of Michiganders safe, protecting the environment, and supporting 30,000 jobs.
- We invested over $100 million in parks and public lands.
- We deployed solar panels on state-owned lands and buildings and committed to powering state government with 100% renewable energy by 2025.
- I worked with partners across the aisle to deliver more resources to the Michigan State Police to help all families feel safe.
- We signed bipartisan Clean Slate bills making hundreds of thousands of Michiganders eligible to have their records expunged, expanding their opportunities for jobs, housing, and education.
- We provided COVID-19 hazard pay for law enforcement officers and first-responders.
- We cared for those who served our nation by building a new veteran’s home in Macomb County and another in Grand Rapids.
I am so proud of the work we have done to invest in Michiganders over the past three years. Through hard work, bipartisanship, and focusing on the issues that unite us, we have made incredible progress. I will continue to fight for our families, small businesses, and communities to put Michiganders first.
Sincerely,
Gretchen Whitmer
Governor of Michigan
The Buchanan Chronicle 