FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
February 2, 2022
Contact: press@michigan.gov
Governor Whitmer Post-State of the State Tour Stops in Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo
Reiterates proposal to cut taxes for retirees and working families, lower costs on insulin and electric vehicles, and expand access to mental health
GRAND RAPIDS, KALAMAZOO, Mich. - Governor Gretchen Whitmer's post-State of The State tour continues with stops in Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo today. She reviewed her proposals to cut taxes for seniors and working families, lower costs on insulin and electric vehicles, and expand access to mental health.
"During my State of the State, I put forward proposals to cut taxes for seniors and working families, lower costs on insulin and electric vehicles, and expand access to mental health, said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. "In Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo, I met with local officials, small business owners, and hard-working Michiganders to get their input as I prepare my budget proposal. I will work with anyone to keep delivering on the kitchen-table issues and putting Michiganders first. Together, we will build a bright future."
STATE OF THE STATE PROPOSALS
- Repeal the Retirement Tax: Michiganders who worked hard, played by the rules, and saved deserve to keep their hard-earned dollars. That's why Governor Whitmer proposed phasing out the retirement tax, which would save half a million households an average of $1,000 a year.
- Raise the Michigan Earned Income Tax Credit: The EITC is a bipartisan tax cut for working families. That's why Governor Whitmer proposed raising the EITC to save 730,000 Michiganders an average of almost $3,000 through their combined state and federal refund.
- Lower Cost of Insulin: For years, drug companies have been jacking up insulin prices, reaping billions in profit. Attorney General Nessel launched an investigation into one of the three largest insulin makers in the U.S. and Governor Whitmer will work with the legislature to lower the cost of insulin and save lives.
- Lower Cost of Electric Cars: Michigan is building the future of electric vehicles, and I want every Michigander to be part of it. That's why I proposed a $2,500 electric vehicle rebate for families-$2,000 for the car and $500 for in-home charging equipment- which will build on the $7,500 federal electric vehicle credit and lower the cost of an electric vehicle by nearly $10,000.
- Expand Access to Mental Health: Governor Whitmer knows mental health is just as important as physical health. She proposed an expansion of the Michigan Loan Repayment Program for mental health professionals to increase access. She will also make another substantial investment to grow the mental health workforce in schools.
- Fixing the Damn Roads: Since Governor Whitmer took office, Michigan has repaired, rebuilt, or rehabilitated 13,198 lane miles of road and 903 bridges in every region of the state, supporting nearly 82,000 jobs. Michigan is fixing the roads with the right mix and materials, so they stay fixed, and creating tens of thousands of good-paying, skilled trades jobs along the way.
In Grand Rapids, Gov. Whitmer was joined by Mayor Rosalynn Bliss; Dr. Justin Beene, Founder of Grand Rapids Center for Community Transformation; Tino Scott, community member, owner of Scott's Lawn Care; and Paula Collier, community member, Host Neighbor at Seeds of Promise non-profit.
Quotes from Leaders in Grand Rapids
"The Governor's policies have helped countless residents in Grand Rapids over the last several years," said Grand Rapids Mayor Rosalynn Bliss. "We're especially excited that in the winter semester alone, 2,400 students at Grand Rapids Community College are on a tuition-free path to higher education and skills training and creating a solid foundation for careers through the Michigan Reconnect and Future for Frontliners programs. I'm proud to join the Governor as she continues to center our residents by working to create jobs, cut taxes, and lower costs for families."
"As we enter this next year, we at the GR Center for Community Transformation fix our eyes on the massive opportunity that our community has to partner across the aisle, religions, socio-economic status, and sectors to make necessary and unprecedented change," said Dr. Justin Beene, Founder of Grand Rapids Center for Community Transformation. "We are excited about gathering a cross section of leaders and community residents to be with Governor Whitmer as we work toward the common goal of creating a more flourishing city."
"COVID-19 has been challenging for everyone's mental health," said Paula Collier, Host Neighbor at Seeds of Promise. "I applaud Governor Whitmer's plan to invest more into our mental systems and work to put Michigan first."
"We all have to ask ourselves, what can we collectively and individually engage in that will truly bring about the kind of great city and state we can all be proud of. For me it's community engagement and being active and impactful in my own community," said Tino Scott. "Like Governor Whitmer, I am a member of the sandwich generation, meaning I am taking care of my kids and my parents at the same time. Governor Whitmer's proposals will make a difference for families like mine."
In Kalamazoo, Gov. Whitmer was joined by Jonas R. Peterson, Southwest Michigan First CEO, Tami Raye, County Commissioner; and Mark Olson, Co-Founder of Athletic Mentors and recipient of a $5,000 Michigan Small Business Restart grant from Michigan Economic Development Corporation.
Quotes from Leaders in Kalamazoo
"Michigan truly is a state on the rise with a compelling vision for the future," said Jonas Peterson, CEO of Southwest Michigan First. "We're excited about the many opportunities ahead for our region and across the entire state."
"We take pride in being a beacon of stability and safety in a time of constant uncertainty. We must continue to see proposals that support well rounded health resources for every resident in our community," said Kalamazoo County Commissioner Tami Rey. "Governor Whitmer's state of the state proposals will put Kalamazoo County residents first by growing Michigan's economy, creating jobs, cutting taxes, and lowering costs for families.
"Receiving financial assistance like the Michigan Small Business Survival Grant was vital to giving Athletic Mentors the resources needed to pivot quickly in response to the pandemic," said Mark Olson and Cheryl Sherwood, Co-Owners of Athletic Mentors. "It allowed us to retain critical high performing team members as we evolved our service platforms to meet the needs of the new more distributed world. Thank you to Governor Whitmer and her team for advocating for these grants, and Southwest Michigan First for all their hard work to get these funds into the hands of the small businesses in our area quickly."
KEY INVESTMENTS AND PROJECTS
West Michigan Highlights
- From 2019 to present, key economic highlights in West Michigan include:
- 298 MEDC-supported projects
- 6,715 projected jobs created
- $1.5 billion projected private investment
- Investments to address the skills gap and help employers meet their talent needs in the Grand Rapids area include:
- Awarded a $525,800 grant to help create more than 200 local Registered Apprenticeship opportunities, serving over 40 employers, with a special focus on underrepresented populations, including youth and veterans. Working with Grand Rapids Community College, the special regional focus was on Registered Apprenticeships in Healthcare occupations.
- Awarded $450,000 to support the "Learn, Earn and Provide" program, also known as LEAP. This innovative program provides job opportunities to assist parents who pay child support who have lost employment, are underemployed, or need occupational training to obtain consistent employment.
- Awarded $73,181 to support Integrated Education and Training programs to support the training needs of local adult learners in Construction, Machine Shop, and Welding as well as training them to be Certified Nurse Assistants.
- Awarded $12.3 million to support 291 area businesses to help workers secure employment, industry-recognized credentials, and strong wages through the Going PRO Talent Fund which is designed to assist in training, developing, and retaining newly hired and current employees.
- Child care investments and support include:
- Awarded nearly $28.3 million to 648 child care providers in Kent County through the Child Care Stabilization Grant. These funds help keep child care businesses open and provide affordable care for working families.
- Connected 3,050 children and their families in Kent County with affordable childcare-including nearly $2.2 million in childcare subsidy payments in Dec. alone.
- For Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo area school districts, $125,819,277 has been spent to this point by collective local constituent school districts under the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funding. An additional $231,846,662 in American Rescue Plan (ARP) ESSER III funding is available currently to Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo area districts. ESSER-related funds are designed to assist school districts in responding to and preparing for the pandemic, as well as providing funds for those most disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.
- As part of Gov. Whitmer's Rebuilding Michigan Program, Michigan Department of Transportation is investing in our roads, traffic flow and safety, including:
- $34 million in 2021 to rebuild nine miles of westbound I-196 from Saugatuck to US-31. During 2022 and 2023, MDOT will invest $25 million to rebuild three miles of US-31 south of Holland and $66 million to rebuild seven miles of eastbound and westbound I-196 from Zeeland to Hudsonville.
- In 2021, MDOT also completed significant work on I-196 through Grand Rapids, including two bridge replacements on the east side of the city and replacement of the bridge deck on EB I-196 over the Grand River downtown. This also included rebuilding 1.7 miles of freeway and widening to six lanes (three lanes in each direction). This project completes $150 million of investment and four years of major improvements to enhance the safe and efficient flow of traffic to the I-96/I-196 & M-44/M-37 (East Beltline Avenue) interchanges.
Southwest Michigan Highlights
- From 2019 to present, key economic highlights in Southwest Michigan include:
- 142 MEDC-supported projects
- 2,303 projected jobs created
- $1.3 billion projected private investment
- Investments to address the skills gap and help employers meet their talent needs in the Kalamazoo area include:
- Awarded $1,163,662 to support 444 local individuals who are dislocated, underemployed, serving as essential workers, living in distressed rural and urban communities or economically disadvantaged, helping them make the move from education or training programs to good-paying, high-skill jobs. Funds awarded to Kalamazoo Valley Community College and the Southwest Michigan Partnership.
- Awarded $528,000 to help create more than 170 local Registered Apprenticeship opportunities, with a special focus on underrepresented populations, including youth and veterans.
- Awarded nearly $2 million to 43 Kalamazoo County businesses to help workers secure employment, industry-recognized credentials, and strong wages through the Going PRO Talent Fund which is designed to assist in training, developing, and retaining newly hired and current employees.
- Awarded $450,000 to support the "Learn, Earn and Provide" program, also known as LEAP. This innovative program provides job opportunities to assist parents who pay child support who have lost employment, are underemployed, or need occupational training to obtain consistent employment.
- Child care investments and support include:
- Awarded $12.2 million to 214 childcare providers in Kalamazoo County through the Child Care Stabilization Grant. These funds help keep child care businesses open and provide affordable care for working families.
- Connected 749 children and their families with affordable childcare-including $1 million in childcare subsidy payments in Dec. alone.
- Michigan Department of Transportation is making major investments in the I-94 corridor in Kalamazoo and Portage in 2022, completing a two-year, $87 million expansion of the commercial corridor between Lovers Lane and Sprinkle Road. This is the final piece in a series of expansion projects between 12th Street in Portage and Sprinkle Road in Kalamazoo that started in 2006.
KEY STATEWIDE STATS
- Michigan has created 20,000 auto jobs since Governor Whitmer took office.
- Drivers will receive $400 refund checks per vehicle by May 9, 2022, because of bipartisan auto insurance reform Governor Whitmer signed.
- Michigan has made the largest education investment-without raising taxes-three years in a row, closing the funding gap between schools and investing $8,700 into every student in every district.
- Michigan's economy has added 220,000 jobs since December 2020.
- Payrolls have increased for eight consecutive months.
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