Governor Gretchen Whitmer is a lifelong Michigander. She is a lawyer, an educator, former prosecutor, State Representative and Senator. She was the first woman to lead a Senate caucus. But the most important title she boasts is MOM. Inspired by her family, she’s devoted her life to building a stronger Michigan for everyone.
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September 24, 2019
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 24, 2019
Governor Whitmer Statement on Department Budgets
LANSING, Mich. -- Today Governor Gretchen Whitmer released the following statement after the Michigan Legislature passed a series of department budgets:
“These budgets are a mess. After taking time off for a two-month summer vacation and a weekend getaway on Mackinac Island, Republicans are playing more shell games with the state budget so they can buy a phony talking point that they’re spending ‘record money’ on roads. And now, with less than a week until the budget is due, they’re planning to leave town for break again without having transmitted a single budget to my office. The truth is, their transportation budget would only rebuild about 39 miles on the freeway and fix about four bridges in a state with over 1,000 bridges in poor condition.
“The Republican budget cuts will restrict people’s access to health care, threaten our public safety, and widen our skills gap. They’ll weaken our economy and make it harder for us to attract businesses and talent to our state. This backwards plan to cut funding from our departments to pay for roads is exactly how we got in this mess in the first place, and it won’t do a damn thing to actually solve the problem.
“Michiganders deserve better. It’s time for Republicans to stop playing games and put a real road funding solution on the table that keeps drivers safe, ensures our roads get fixed with the right materials and mix, and makes road repairs now so costs don’t keep going up over the long run.”
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