Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer delivered her seventh State of the State Address, focusing on bipartisan efforts to bolster Michigan’s economy, reduce costs, and expand opportunities.
Since assuming office, she has collaborated across party lines to enact 1,500 bills, including 1,000 under a Republican-controlled legislature.
“My guiding principle has always been collaboration,” Whitmer stated, despite battling a cold.
Earlier this week, Whitmer met with President Trump to advocate for Michigan’s priorities, such as job creation, road funding, and economic growth. At the National Governors Association dinner, she discussed tariffs, military investment at Selfridge Air Base, and staffing for the Gordie Howe International Bridge.
In her address, she highlighted significant achievements, including a $1 billion tax cut for working families and retirees, free school meals saving parents approximately $900 annually, major investments in affordable housing, and expanded education funding from preschool through college.
“We gotta build, baby, build,” Whitmer exclaimed, receiving enthusiastic applause from both sides of the aisle. “MSHDA has been breaking records for two consecutive years. This year, let’s invest $2 billion to build, buy, or fix nearly 11,000 homes. Let’s make the largest housing investment in Michigan history.”
She also addressed economic challenges such as inflation, high interest rates, and proposed tariffs that could affect Michigan’s auto industry and increase living costs. Calling for unity, she urged lawmakers to collaborate on infrastructure and job creation.
Whitmer outlined three primary goals for the coming year:
- Reducing Costs: Addressing the housing crisis and making essential services more affordable.
- Job Creation: Investing in workforce development to equip residents with necessary skills.
- Delivering Results: Enhancing government efficiency and ensuring transparency in spending, particularly on earmarks.
She highlighted Michigan’s financial stability, citing a record-high rainy-day fund and reduced state debt, but emphasized that progress should be measured by residents' sentiments about their state.
“When you think Michigan, what do you think?” she asked, acknowledging past challenges like the Great Recession and the Flint Water Crisis, which have shaped Michigan’s reputation.
She pointed to recent progress, highlighting efforts to revitalize manufacturing, reduce costs for families, and drive economic growth—symbolized, she noted, by the Detroit Lions’ success.
“Over the past six years, we’ve reinvested in the fundamentals and brought manufacturing back home,” Whitmer said. “We lowered costs for families, and our young adult population is growing faster than in 45 other states. Our Lions started winning.”
She also emphasized the importance of community and kindness, sharing stories like that of Josh from Grand Rapids, who described Michigan as a place where “our seasons are tougher, but our people are warmer, and our lakes are fresher.”
Key themes of her address included:
- Unity Over Division: Moving beyond partisan conflicts.
- Restoring Michigan’s Image: Investing in communities to strengthen the state’s reputation.
- Future-Oriented Action: Improving infrastructure, education, healthcare, and job opportunities.
Whitmer concluded her speech with a call for unity and collective progress, urging Michiganders to embrace kindness and cooperation.
“Whether we’re negotiating here in Lansing, driving down a two-lane farm road, or holding open a door, let’s be the Michigan that Michiganders know we can be,” she said.
