DETROIT — Governor Whitmer delivered a speech today laying out her vision for the final two years of her administration. In the speech, she promised to work with anyone who is genuinely focused on helping the people of Michigan.
I will always seek collaboration first. I won’t go looking for fights, but I won’t back down from them either,” Whitmer declared. “I’m not here to play games. I’ve got a job to do.”
Whitmer also called for a fund to help continue to grow Michigan. In a release, Whitmer explained, “Growing Michigan’s economy by bringing good-paying jobs home and putting money back in Michiganders’ pockets has remained a top priority of the Whitmer-Gilchrist administration since day one. As such, during her “Road Ahead Address,” Governor Whitmer laid out her vision to continue stimulating economic development in Michigan through five specific goals.”
The five goals are laid out here:
Make it in Michigan Job Fund: The fund will help Michigan close deals and move faster to secure big factories and engineering and technical centers. This change is critical to designing, engineering, and building the next generation of vehicles and will align Michigan with ten other states ensuring whatever folks are driving—ICE, hybrid, or EV—is made right here in Michigan, by Michigan workers.
HIRE Michigan: A payroll tax cut to the more companies hire Michigan employees and the better they pay them, the more they save. This will incentivize companies to invest in Michigan, boosting our economy and creating high-paying jobs across the state.
Strategic site readiness program: Creates space for future projects by easing the process to get businesses off the ground and create jobs in Michigan. Ensures companies can start building on day one.
Housing/Placemaking/
Transit: By expanding and improving transit options of all kinds, Michigan can boost connectivity across areas with lots of industry.
“To grow Michigan’s economy and fight for the auto industry, I’ll work with anyone who’s serious about solving problems in Lansing or DC,” said Governor Whitmer. “Right now, there’s an ongoing, global competition between Michigan, China, and other states to build the future of the auto industry. To make sure we win, we need commonsense, bipartisan tools that create good-paying jobs and bring supply chains home. We must also find a fiscally responsible, sustainable solution to fix the damn roads work with our Canadian neighbors to ensure tariffs don’t lead to higher costs for families and businesses. Together, let’s create Michigan jobs, fix Michigan roads, and grow Michigan’s economy. The road ahead is bright, so let’s roll up our sleeves and get to work.”
