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Governor Gretchen Whitmer delivered her “Road Ahead Address” at the Detroit Auto Show today. Whitmer outlined her administration’s approach to saving Michigan’s auto industry and expanding the economy by creating good-paying jobs, “fixing the damn roads,” and building relationships with neighbors. Each of these priorities expand on the work the Whitmer-Gilchrist administration has accomplished during the past six years since it was elected in 2018.
“To grow Michigan’s economy and fight for the auto industry, I’ll work with anyone who’s serious about solving problems in Lansing or DC,” said Governor Whitmer. “Right now, there’s an ongoing, global competition between Michigan, China, and other states to build the future of the auto industry. To make sure we win, we need commonsense, bipartisan tools that create good-paying jobs and bring supply chains home. We must also find a fiscally responsible, sustainable solution to fix the damn roads work with our Canadian neighbors to ensure tariffs don’t lead to higher costs for families and businesses. Together, let’s create Michigan jobs, fix Michigan roads, and grow Michigan’s economy. The road ahead is bright, so let’s roll up our sleeves and get to work.”
Creating Jobs and Lowering Costs
During her “Road Ahead Address,” Governor Whitmer laid out her “vision to continue stimulating economic development in Michigan through five specific goals.”
- Make it in Michigan Job Fund: The fund will help Michigan close deals and move faster to secure big factories and engineering and technical centers. This change is critical to designing, engineering, and building the next generation of vehicles and will align Michigan with ten other states ensuring whatever folks are driving – ICE, hybrid, or EV – is made right here in Michigan, by Michigan workers.
- HIRE Michigan: A payroll tax cut to the more companies hire Michigan employees and the better they pay them, the more they save. This will incentivize companies to invest in Michigan, boosting our economy and creating high-paying jobs across the state.
- Strategic site readiness program: Creates space for future projects by easing the process to get businesses off the ground and create jobs in Michigan. Ensures companies can start building on day one.
- Housing/Placemaking/Brownfields: Building more housing and making cities and towns better places to live and work will drive down costs for buyers and renters while improving quality of life for families.
- Transit: By expanding and improving transit options of all kinds, Michigan can boost connectivity across areas with lots of industry.
Fixing the Damn Roads
Since taking office, Michigan has invested more than $19 billion in Michigan’s roads and bridges as part of the Rebuilding Michigan bond plan, helping to fix more than 23,000 lane miles of road and 1600 bridges, supporting more than 118,000 jobs. However, this plan ends in 2025, requiring a long-term solution to continue “fixing the damn roads,” ensuring Michiganders and companies can depend on reliable infrastructure in our state.
In her “Road Ahead Address,” Governor Whitmer said that she will work with anyone to find a solution to road funding, calling on the Michigan legislature to set aside their differences and negotiate a bipartisan roads deal in 2025. Specifically, she stressed the importance of compromise and bipartisanship, “appealing to both sides of the aisle to find new and fair sources of revenue as well as explore fiscally responsible cuts, ensuring Michigan can keep repairing and rebuilding our roads.”
Summary of Whitmer’s Speech from AutoInformed’s perspective
Future of Michigan-Canada Relationship
Detroit-Windsor is the busiest active border crossing in North America, with more than a quarter of the $700 billion of annual trade between the U.S. and Canada. Since taking office Governor Whitmer has promoted a relationship with Canadian neighbors through agreements on cross-border electric vehicle testing, supply chains, trade, and job creation. During the last few years, Canadian businesses have announced 26 projects in Michigan, creating more than 4000 jobs.
Whitmer announced that she met with Ontario Premier Doug Ford last month, affirming Michigan’s relationship with Ontario. “This vital partnership will help ensure the health of Michigan’s auto industry, protecting Michigan jobs and keeping costs low for people across the state.”
Approach to Trump-Proposed Tariffs
Governor Whitmer also stated her position on the incoming Trump administration’s proposed tariffs. Whitmer believes “in a judicious approach that will protect supply chains and job creation here in Michigan.”
- 70% of all auto parts made in Michigan go to our neighbors. “If the Trump-proposed tariffs were enacted as a one-size-fits-all policy, every time a Michigan auto part crosses a border and gets taxed, those costs will be passed on to Michiganders at the dealership. Crippling Michigan’s auto ecosystem will only help our biggest competitor – China.”
- Governor Whitmer said that she “is committed to working with our neighbors to the North to protect Michigan’s auto industry. That’s why the Whitmer-Gilchrist administration has been in active discussions with Canadian officials to explore ways we can collaborate on tariffs, lower the cost of doing business, and protect Michigan industry and consumers.”
The Whitmer-Gilchrist administration “has continued to deliver on the kitchen-table issues that matter to Michiganders. Over the past six years, Governor Whitmer has signed more than 1400 bipartisan bills and 6 balanced budgets; nearly 1000 of those bills were signed under a Republican legislature.
“Other accomplishments include:
- Cutting taxes by $1 billion for seniors and working families
- Securing nearly 40,000 auto jobs
- Building 50,000 units of housing
- Feeding students free breakfast and lunch at school
- Replacing tens of thousands of lead pipes
- Fixing nearly every major freeway
- Rainy-day fund is at an all-time high
- State revenues are strong
- GDP is up 35%
- Credit rating is up
- Educational attainment, family wealth, and incomes are all up too.”
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer Defends Auto Industry
Click for more.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer delivered her “Road Ahead Address” at the Detroit Auto Show today. Whitmer outlined her administration’s approach to saving Michigan’s auto industry and expanding the economy by creating good-paying jobs, “fixing the damn roads,” and building relationships with neighbors. Each of these priorities expand on the work the Whitmer-Gilchrist administration has accomplished during the past six years since it was elected in 2018.
“To grow Michigan’s economy and fight for the auto industry, I’ll work with anyone who’s serious about solving problems in Lansing or DC,” said Governor Whitmer. “Right now, there’s an ongoing, global competition between Michigan, China, and other states to build the future of the auto industry. To make sure we win, we need commonsense, bipartisan tools that create good-paying jobs and bring supply chains home. We must also find a fiscally responsible, sustainable solution to fix the damn roads work with our Canadian neighbors to ensure tariffs don’t lead to higher costs for families and businesses. Together, let’s create Michigan jobs, fix Michigan roads, and grow Michigan’s economy. The road ahead is bright, so let’s roll up our sleeves and get to work.”
Creating Jobs and Lowering Costs
During her “Road Ahead Address,” Governor Whitmer laid out her “vision to continue stimulating economic development in Michigan through five specific goals.”
Fixing the Damn Roads
Since taking office, Michigan has invested more than $19 billion in Michigan’s roads and bridges as part of the Rebuilding Michigan bond plan, helping to fix more than 23,000 lane miles of road and 1600 bridges, supporting more than 118,000 jobs. However, this plan ends in 2025, requiring a long-term solution to continue “fixing the damn roads,” ensuring Michiganders and companies can depend on reliable infrastructure in our state.
In her “Road Ahead Address,” Governor Whitmer said that she will work with anyone to find a solution to road funding, calling on the Michigan legislature to set aside their differences and negotiate a bipartisan roads deal in 2025. Specifically, she stressed the importance of compromise and bipartisanship, “appealing to both sides of the aisle to find new and fair sources of revenue as well as explore fiscally responsible cuts, ensuring Michigan can keep repairing and rebuilding our roads.”
Summary of Whitmer’s Speech from AutoInformed’s perspective
Future of Michigan-Canada Relationship
Detroit-Windsor is the busiest active border crossing in North America, with more than a quarter of the $700 billion of annual trade between the U.S. and Canada. Since taking office Governor Whitmer has promoted a relationship with Canadian neighbors through agreements on cross-border electric vehicle testing, supply chains, trade, and job creation. During the last few years, Canadian businesses have announced 26 projects in Michigan, creating more than 4000 jobs.
Whitmer announced that she met with Ontario Premier Doug Ford last month, affirming Michigan’s relationship with Ontario. “This vital partnership will help ensure the health of Michigan’s auto industry, protecting Michigan jobs and keeping costs low for people across the state.”
Approach to Trump-Proposed Tariffs
Governor Whitmer also stated her position on the incoming Trump administration’s proposed tariffs. Whitmer believes “in a judicious approach that will protect supply chains and job creation here in Michigan.”
The Whitmer-Gilchrist administration “has continued to deliver on the kitchen-table issues that matter to Michiganders. Over the past six years, Governor Whitmer has signed more than 1400 bipartisan bills and 6 balanced budgets; nearly 1000 of those bills were signed under a Republican legislature.
“Other accomplishments include:
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.