REDFORD TOWNSHIP, Mich – Fresh off a victory with a seven billion dollar investment from General Motors, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer pitched her plans as she heads into an election year.
Because of the COVID pandemic, Gov. Whitmer did her State of the State remotely for the second year in a row. Breaking tradition, Whitmer took her speech on the road to diesel engine manufacturer Detroit Diesel to give her address.
Watch the address here: Michigan Gov. Whitmer delivers 2022 State of the State address on Jan. 26
The 26-minute address focused on kitchen table kind of issues. And though the speech was delivered remotely due to COVID, Whitmer hardly discussed the virus.
The governor did make it a point to say that children should be learning in their classrooms.
“We want to be crystal clear: Students belong in school,” Whitmer said.
The bulk of the address covered the state’s accomplishments, including the historic General Motors investment announced Tuesday.
“Historically, the knock on Michigan was that ... we didn’t have the tools to compete with other states, and we moved too slowly, (that) state government was dysfunctional,” Whitmer said. “And (Tuesday) the world saw what we can accomplish together.”
More: GM plans to build multi-billion dollar EV plants in Delta, Orion townships
Governor Whitmer is heading into 2022 pitching a pension tax repeal, boosting the earned income tax credit as well as already giving Michigan drivers $400 checks as part of auto insurance reform. Those checks should arrive by May 9.
Whitmer may not have spent time on the state’s current COVID situation and response, but the GOP-led legislature makes no bones about how they feel about her performance.
“We got here because of ineffective and tone-deaf leadership, both in Washington and the Governor’s mansion, allowed Michigan to be controlled by the COVID-19 pandemic, and it validated our fellow citizens’ sensibilities,” said Michigan State Senator Mike Shirkey.
Related: Devin Scillian: Can Whitmer, GOP find common ground with surplus?
