Dear Friend,

In my State of the State Address last week, I laid out my plans to keep working across the aisle to lower costs for Michigan families.

Right now, families and businesses are facing high prices and economic uncertainty, especially with President Trump imposing widespread tariffs this morning and other nations imposing tariffs back on the U.S. in response. These broad, 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico, our largest and closest trading partners, will slow down the construction of homes and factories, lead to thousands of layoffs on the auto assembly line, raise the sticker prices of cars and trucks by thousands of dollars, and could jack up costs for families by an average of $1,200 a year as companies pass their costs on to consumers.

Michiganders are tired of the games and want strong, bipartisan leadership. That’s why I’m ready to work with anyone to lower costs and protect Michigan’s economy against policies that would raise prices and cut jobs. As governor, I do not have control over international tariffs. But I am doing everything I can to protect Michigan consumers and lower costs for Michigan families.

In my State of the State Address, I highlighted investments I proposed in my budget to cut taxes for seniors and working families, eliminate medical debt, build more housing to lower rents and mortgages, expand assistance on energy bills, and expand quality, affordable child care for working moms and dads.

Let's lead by example and show the rest of the country how to get things done.

Check out some key points I outlined in my State of the State Address to lower costs for Michiganders.

Sincerely,

Gretchen Whitmer

Governor

Lowering Costs

Housing

Since I took office, the State of Michigan has made historic progress to build more housing, with MSHDA on track for a third-straight, record-breaking year. Building more housing expands supply, lowering costs of new homes and rent.

• "Right now, we’re short 140,000 homes statewide… and the way forward is clear… We gotta build, baby, build!"
• “This year, let’s invest $2 billion to build, buy, or fix nearly 11,000 homes...the largest housing investment in Michigan history. Getting this done will create more than 10,000 construction jobs, lower costs, and help more people achieve the American Dream.”

Medical Debt

Michigan secured $4.5 million in the FY24 bipartisan state budget to relieve some medical debt, but we are one of just a few states with no protections specifically for this burden that impacts nearly 700,000 Michiganders.

• We’re one of just a few states with no consumer protections for medical debt. That’s not right...This year, let’s work across the aisle to reduce medical debt so being sick or getting hurt doesn’t also mean being broke for the rest of your life.”

Energy

With the threat of tariffs on energy, utility bills could go up. In my speech, I focused on bipartisan legislation I recently signed to expand the Michigan Energy Assistance Program, which already saves 50,000 households $700 a year.

• “Everyone’s eyebrows raise when that first winter utility bill hits...Republicans and Democrats came together to do something about it...I was proud to sign this expansion, which could save 335,000 more Michigan families hundreds on their energy bills.”

Taxes

With high prices on essentials and the looming threat of tariffs, I highlighted the retirement tax rollback and Working Families Tax Credit expansion.

• “This year, hundreds of thousands of senior households will save an average of $1,000 on their taxes and 650,000 families—home to half the kids in Michigan—will get an average tax refund of $3,200 bucks...Together, we put $1 billion back in people’s pockets and lifted 20,000 children out of poverty.”

Child Care and Supporting Families

I called on the legislature and federal government to work with me to continue expanding affordable child care. That includes passing my proposed budget continuing free pre-K for every four-year-old in Michigan, saving parents $10,000.

• "...We feed all 1.4 million public school students free breakfast and lunch, saving families nearly $900 a year per kid on groceries and valuable time every morning...We delivered free pre-K for all, so every 4-year-old can arrive at kindergarten better prepared to learn while saving their parents $10,000."
• “If we want to grow our population, we must continue expanding affordable child care. This is pro-family, pro-child, and pro-growth policy. Let’s get it done.”