Democrats laud, Republicans dismiss Whitmer's State of the State address

LANSING — Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's calls for increased investments in education, housing and economic development in her State of the State address were applauded by Democrats and panned by Republicans.

The second-term Democratic governor's speech preceded a legislative session that may require lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to work together for the first time since Democrats took full control of the state government last January. The state House will be tied 54-54 until at least April, when special elections for two open seats are set to be held.

Republican state Sen. Joe Bellino Jr., who represents most of Monroe, Lenawee and Hillsdale counties, said he is hopeful Democrats will work in a bipartisan fashion to lower taxes and help families struggling with rising costs, "but the burden is on the Democrats to reach out and work with us."

"I am not going to play Charlie Brown and have Lansing Democrats yank away the bipartisan football yet again," Bellino, of Monroe, said in an emailed statement.

“The Michigan people need us to find common ground on important issues facing them and the future of our state — including working together to improve education for all our students, focusing state funding on vital services and long-term investments like fixing our local roads, and allowing everyone to keep more of their money instead of using it to grow the size of state government," Bellino said. "…Michigan continues to decline under this governor, and we must work together to enact proven and pro-growth policies that can help turn around our state and improve the lives of all Michiganders.”

Republican Rep. Dale Zorn said Whitmer "is pulling the wool over the eyes of Michiganders everywhere."

"The reality is, the state of our state is bleaker than she wants us to believe," Zorn said in an emailed statement.

“In the past year, the governor and her Democrat colleagues have taken actions that will increase household costs for families in coming years and reversed a permanent income tax cut that every Michigan taxpayer was entitled to under our state law," said Zorn, who represents most of Lenawee County. “…Every Michigan worker needs and deserves to keep more of what they earn, especially now, as families struggle to cover household costs amid widespread inflation and rising utility costs. We needed to hear more from the governor about her plans to reduce basic expenses for Michiganders in 2024.”

“The governor’s overall priorities do not line up with Michiganders’ priorities, and although there have been some beneficial changes this past year, we are certainly heading in the wrong direction, economically, socially and educationally,” Rep. Will Bruck, R-Erie, said in a prepared statement. He represents parts of Monroe and Lenawee Counties.

Democrats' appraisal of the state of the state differed from that of Republicans.

“Although we still have much to do, Michigan is on the right track," Rep. Reggie Miller, D-Van Buren Twp., said in an emailed statement. She represents Macon Township in Lenawee as well as parts of Monroe and Wayne counties. "Gov. Whitmer laid out an agenda that will help everyday Michiganders get ahead. Lowering costs for Michiganders on housing, education and caregiving will make those hard-earned dollars go further than before and give folks the relief they need.”

“Tonight’s speech was a bold step toward addressing the challenges working families are facing," state Sen. Darrin Camilleri, D-Trenton, said in a prepared statement. He represents several communities in southern Wayne County. "This year, I look forward to working with the governor and my colleagues to expand access to high-quality, affordable education from Pre-K to postsecondary, lower costs on prescription drugs and housing, and invest in the future of our auto industry.”

Camilleri and Rep. Regina Weiss, D-Oak Park, received a shoutout from Whitmer for their work on the legislation to provide free breakfast and lunch to all K-12 public school students.

State Sen. Jeff Irwin, in posts on social media, noted Whitmer's report that 22,000 lane miles of roads and 1,400 bridges have been repaired. The Ann Arbor Democrat, who represents the northeastern part of Lenawee County in the Senate as well as parts of Washtenaw and Monroe counties, said that those projects created "thousands of good paying jobs making these long-term improvements to our infrastructure."

Education initiatives such as free community college for all high school graduates and free preschool for 4-year-olds were part of Whitmer's speech aimed at cutting costs for residents.

Zorn criticized Whitmer's community college tuition plan.

"Now, she wants to offer college tuition for all on the backs of taxpayers who are already financially strained," he said. "It’s safe to say she won’t be allowing workers to keep more of what they earn any time soon, because she’s already committed that money to community college tuition.”

Whitmer's speech highlighted an investment of over a billion dollars to build or rehabilitate housing in the state, saying they planned to "build, baby, build."

"Her goal is to build 75,000 units in the next few years," Irwin said, adding that he is "eager to partner with her to invest more than ever this year" to address housing affordability.

Whitmer also called on lawmakers to pass a tax credit of up to $5,000 for caregiving expenses including counseling, transportation, and nursing or respite services.

"We will build a Michigan where if you get knocked down, you have the support you need to get back up. Lowering costs on the biggest items in your budget, improving education so your kids can thrive, ensuring you can 'make it' no matter who you are or what you've been through," said Whitmer.

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The governor also used the opportunity to highlight policies implemented by Democrats in 2023, their first year with full control of the agenda in over four decades. Democrats worked to repeal a union-restricting law known as "right-to-work," overhaul gun laws in the state and further protect both LGBTQ+ and abortion rights.

Much of work highlighted in Whitmer's speech aligned with the key issues that national Democrats are stressing ahead of the November election. Voter sentiment toward the party's agenda in Michigan could prove vital for an upcoming presidential election that could hinge on the battleground state's results.

"I cannot solve global inflation alone. No one person can — not even the President," said Whitmer, who is the co-chair of President Joe Biden's reelection campaign. The governor underscored Biden's policies multiple times in her speech, saying they had driven a "manufacturing renaissance" in Michigan.

Bruck dismissed Whitmer's renewable energy plans.

“Gov. Whitmer may have sung the praises of her new green energy mandates during the State of the State address, but the people of Michigan aren’t going to be pleased when they start receiving electric bills that are double their current rates," Bruck said. "Workers at the Monroe power plant, left jobless when the mandates force existing coal-powered plants to shut down, won’t be celebrating when they’re out looking for new jobs. And families throughout Monroe and Lenawee counties certainly won’t be commending the loss of local control when state bureaucrats override their wishes and greenlight massive wind and solar farms in their neighborhoods.”

Republican leaders criticized Whitmer for what they said has been five years without substantive improvements in education, infrastructure or economic development in the state. Rep. Matt Hall, the House minority leader, described Whitmer's agenda as "short-term ideas that are designed to generate a lot of press and attention toward perhaps national political ambitions."

"What we saw in the speech tonight is really a long list of promises that only have 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 growing the state's population that was formed last year by Whitmer. According to the report, Michigan ranks near the bottom of all states in population growth, median income and new housing.

Whitmer has focused on addressing these issues through economic development. On Wednesday, she proposed the implementation of a research and development tax credit and an innovation fund to invest in high-growth startups.

"When it comes to energizing our economy," Bellino said, "we need to find ways to cut regulations and taxes to make us more competitive in attracting new talent, jobs and business investment — instead of more government red tape and taxpayer handouts to foreign corporations that are counterproductive and fail to achieve long-term positive results.

Many of the proposals, including the free community college plan and Whitmer's call for free pre-K for 4-year olds by the end of the year, will require funding in the upcoming state budget.

It remains to be seen how soon, if at all, Whitmer's initiatives will be brought before state lawmakers. Several key proposals that Whitmer called for last year, including paid family and medical leave, have yet to receive approval from lawmakers and remained absent from her speech Wednesday.

The state House is set to remain deadlocked until special elections in April, and questions linger over each party's appetite for bipartisanship. While the 2024 legislative session began on Jan. 10, few votes have occurred so far.

Two Democratic representatives vacated their seats late last year after winning mayoral races, and special elections for the seats are slotted to take place on April 16. Democrats are expected to win both seats easily, which would allow them to push through their agenda beginning in late April.

— The Associated Press contributed to this report. Contact reporter David Panian at dpanian@lenconnect.com or follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @lenaweepanian.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Reactions to Whitmer State of the State address split by party