LANSING, Mich. — Now that the State of the State Address is behind us, we have a better idea of what Governor Gretchen Whitmer has in mind for the state of Michigan this year.
REWIND: Watch the full 2024 State of the State address
“It was a very positive and upbeat speech,” Grand Valley State University professor, Roger Moiles told FOX 17. “It kind of reflects where she is right now with kind of a tie in the legislature for the next couple of months anyway.”
Moiles said Governor Gretchen Whitmer bolstered her position on where the state was heading citing areas of economic growth as well as her success in repealing the 1931 abortion law and other state-level wins in that arena.
But economic growth in some arenas took their toll in others, say Republicans.
"She already blew through the $9 billion budget surplus," noted State Representative Bryan Posthumus.
The address also showed Whitmer's focus on priorities nationally, both as co-chair for the Biden re-election campaign and bringing revenue to our state.
“She was talking a lot about encouraging people from other states to come here,” explained Moiles, adding some of the enticements mentioned— like treatment and pay for teachers— could’ve been stronger. “That’s arguable, but it is sort of a selling point.”
Republicans saw the Governor’s speech in a much different light, says Moiles.
“They were pretty much in a mood that what the governor was saying just was not the reality,” he noted their resistance to Whitmer’s attempts to engage her audience. “It was very difficult to get them to stand for the Lions—you know the call out for the Lions and a few other things that normally there would be some common interest and excitement about it.”
But the Governor’s attention to the new America’s Team wasn’t unnoticed, just unappreciated.
“[The governor] talked about the Lions three different times. But what she didn't talk about was, where's the money gonna come from?” Posthumus asked.
Several Republican lawmakers shared their focus on bipartisan issues that will have the strongest chance of passing the split House, like education reform—something Whitmer revisited from last year’s address.
"In our next budget, let's make the first 2 years of community college in Michigan tuition-free for every high school graduate," Whitmer said, touching on her plans to lower the high cost of living in Michigan, including a $1.4 billion pledge to build or rehabilitate 10,000 homes, free pre-K for all 4-year-olds, and rebates for buying a new car.
FOX 17’s post-address coverage of the State of the State and its impact will continue with analysis from public affairs strategist, John Sellek.
