On Tuesday evening, Governor Rick Snyder delivered the annual State of the State address before a joint convention of the Michigan Legislature.  As stated in our blog post that evening, the Governor spent a significant amount of the time touting the successes seen throughout the state.  “As the Governor’s tenure winds down, he will continue to speak on the successes achieved under his leadership.  Additionally, he will work to ensure that his proposals and initiatives continue to succeed, instead of announcing as many new programs as he did during the first half of his administration,” stated Tim Ward, President of MLC.

Highlights include:

• Almost 500,000 new private sector jobs created in the past six years
• The state’s unemployment rate is ten points lower than it was in June 2009
• Michigan is ranked first in the Great Lakes Region for per-capita income growth during the past six years
• Home values have increased 44% in the past six years
• Michigan’s population has grown for five consecutive years
• Michigan agriculture exports are valued at $2.8 billion, up from $2.3 billion in 2010
• In 2015, tourists spent $20 billion in Michigan
• 640,000 residents have enrolled in the Healthy Michigan plan
• From 2013 – 2015, the costs of uncompensated health care per hospital decreased by 44%
• Michigan is home to more than 75% of US automotive R&D spending

Governor Snyder also spent time speaking on his goals for the state moving forward, including:

• Continuing to push to make Michigan the global mobility leader in research and development, citing investments made by companies like Uber
• Increased investment in the state’s infrastructure
• Ensure students receive an education that equips them with the skills needed to meet the demand for talent
• Continue on building strong and safe communities

For more information, or to view the Governor’s full speech, please click here.

Michigan Legislative Consultants is a bipartisan lobbying firm based in Lansing, Michigan. Our team of lobbyists and procurement specialists provide a wide range of services for some of the most respected companies in America. For more on MLC, visit www.mlcmi.com or connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter.