Calling Michigan roads, “Among the most beat up and dangerous in the country,” Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has used her second State of the State address to tell both the Legislature and the residents of Michigan that since they turned down her Plan A in the budget for roads last year, “It’s time for Plan B,” adding, “For those of you who want to keep playing games, I’m going to press on without you. I’m going to use the power of my office to do what I said I was going to do.”
Saying it’s “Time to act,” she is rolling out her Rebuilding Michigan plan, “Financed without an increase at the gas pump, and it will do three things: save time, save money, and save lives.”
Saying, “Michigan families pay more than $600 a year in car repairs. Cracked windshields, blown tires, busted rims, and that’s money that could go into to your child care budget. Or your retirement fund. Or rent. And it’s also bad for business.” She warns, “We can’t ask businesses to invest in Michigan if we refuse to invest in ourselves, and we can’t protect public safety if our roads put our people in danger.”
Contending that “Inaction is not an option,” Whitmer adds, “Tomorrow, I will ask the State Transportation Commission to issue state road bonds, so we can start fixing the roads now.”
Arguing, “Since it doesn’t require the legislature to act,” Whitmer says, “We can get started right away. That’s important. Cutting down on the time we take to repair Michigan’s most frequently traveled trunklines and state roads is fiscally responsible. We can add and expand 122 major new projects and nearly double the amount available to fix roads over the next 5 years than if we wait. We can get to work on these state trunkline roads and freeways and take advantage of today’s low interest rates. Over the long haul, we’ll actually save money. It just makes sense. So, from now on, when you see orange barrels on a state road: slow down, and know that it’s this Administration, fixing the damn roads.”
Going one step further she says, “But let me be clear: these new projects will only address the worst of our most highly traveled state roads. We still need the legislature to come up with a real, long-term solution to fix the roads.”
One of the Governor’s special guests in attendance was the son of recently deceased former Governor Bill Milliken, Bill Jr. She said tonight, “In the governor’s memory and overlooking the waters he fought so hard to protect, we will break ground on the Milliken Visitors Center at Arch Rock on Mackinac Island this year.”
Touching on Auto Insurance in Michigan, Whitmer said, “After 6 straight years of the highest auto insurance rates in the nation, we passed historic legislation, bipartisan legislation that puts money back in people’s pockets and bring down the cost of car insurance. We preserved quality-coverage options, strengthened consumer protections, and most importantly, ensured an average rate reduction for the next eight years.”
Addressing new auto industry jobs for Michigan, Whitmer says, “Since I took office, we announced nearly 11,000 new auto jobs—that’s 5 times more than the previous year and it’s the most ever announced in a single year in the history of the MEDC.”
Turning to Education, Gov. Whitmer says, “We’re working to make pre-k universal for kids living in districts where test scores are low or poverty is high. And we’re providing better access to child care for parents who are in school or working full-time.”
Regarding Health Care in Michigan, the Governor argues, “Dismantling the ACA would be disastrous for our state and devastating for our people,” and adds, “We need a way to enshrine these protections [for people with pre-existing conditions] for Michiganders, and some Democrats in the legislature, including Representatives Kuppa, Hoadley, and Koleszar have come up with a proposal.” She concludes on that front, “Pass these protections. It’s the right thing to do.”
The Opiod Crisis has been in the headlines for months, and Whitmer addressed the issue saying, “In the coming months, I will create a task force that will focus on prescription drug transparency and lowering costs.”
In her ongoing bid to keep new moms and their babies healthy, Whitmer promises, “This year, my budget will include extension of health coverage for a full year for low-income women who have had babies,” adding, “We’ll let a woman choose birth control that works for her. A novel idea, I know, but we’re going to ask a woman what she wants, ensure she can get it in one visit, and provide coverage for it.” She notes, “I’ve asked the deans of our medical schools to incorporate implicit bias training into their curriculum. So that as people of color seek health care, they’ll be treated with equal dignity and respect.”
As she looks ahead to the balance of 2020, the Gov. wrapped up her speech by returning to where she began, saying, “IMpatience is a virtue. Sure, it’s good to be patient when you’re waiting in line at the grocery store…or on the phone with customer service…or…when you’re a Lions fan. But not now. Not when people’s lives and livelihoods are at stake. Not here, in a state that faces challenges from pocketbooks to potholes…where our road conditions prove that waiting to act, only makes things worse.”
She concluded, “In 2020… in Michigan… we can afford to be a little impatient. We need to be a little impatient. In the blink of an eye, my daughters will be off to college and then joining the workforce. Same goes for Monte. For all our kids. Let’s fight for them, not with each other. Let’s show them what’s possible. The people of Michigan are on the move. And it’s time for Lansing to catch up. It’s time for action. Let’s get to work. Let’s move some dirt.”
