On the evening of January 23, 2018, Governor Rick Snyder is scheduled to deliver his eighth and final State of the State Address. Since taking office in 2011, a lot has changed in Michigan. We have gone from a state on the edge of a fiscal cliff and enduring an economic crisis, to a state much better positioned for the future. The Governor’s addresses have included a clear message – he is laying the foundation for Michigan to continue to grow long after he is out of office. That includes everything from a strong education system, a good businesses climate for growth, and a climate that foster innovation and the next disruptor.

For his first State of the State address, Governor Rick Snyder was very clear that Michigan is not in a good economic place and tough work lays ahead. He began a theme that continued for years, reinventing Michigan. He stated that jobs are at the top of the list and everyone must work together to boost our economy. He announced, “Michigan Dashboards,” a tool to increase citizen engagement and transparency. The Governor has continued to be a fan using dashboards in local governments, public education institutions, as well as state government.

In 2012 the theme of the address was “Michigan 3.0.” The Governor called for investment in several areas to move Michigan into its next phase, including additional funds for infrastructure improvements, which has remained a theme throughout his tenure. Additionally, he called for repealing the Personal Property Tax, which was achieved in 2014. He called for the creation of the New International Trade Crossing, since renamed the Gordie Howe International Bridge.  The second bridge between Detroit and Canada is scheduled to begin construction later this year. The Governor also called for the legislature to complete the budget process in the beginning of summer, months ahead of schedule, which has been successfully done every year since.

The following year, Governor Snyder again called for additional infrastructure funding, making it a major theme of the address. One of the major announcements was moving the then Office of Insurance and Financial Regulation out of the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs and creating the Department of Insurance and Financial Services a new department for the former office. Additionally, he called for reforming Michigan’s auto no-fault insurance system, something the legislature continues to debate.

2014’s address focused on creating and bringing in educationally-prepared and a talented workforce. He spoke on immigration reform and making Michigan a destination for top talent. Governor Snyder announced the creation of a new office, the Michigan Office for New Americans to assist those moving into the state. Additionally, the governor called for several education reforms, including early warning systems for schools facing financial troubles and increased spending for early education.

“The River of Opportunity” was a key part of his address in 2015. The Governor saw failures in removing barriers to success and getting aide to the state’s most vulnerable populations. To remedy the problem, he announced the merger of two key departments, creating the now Department of Health and Human Services. Education is always a theme in his addresses. This year he called for increased funding for preschool and improvements in higher education in areas such as career counseling, skilled trade training accessibility and reducing college costs. Lastly, he called for creating the Michigan Agency for Energy to develop a state-driven energy plan. The agency was formally created later that year.

2016 was the year the Flint Water Crisis became well-known and the majority of his address was centered on that topic. In a rare move for any politician, Governor Rick Snyder apologized and recognized the failure that occurred throughout all levels of government. In another rare move, he announced his office would publicly release all his emails from 2014-2015 regarding the water crisis in Flint. Additionally, he laid out his proposed solutions for fixing the crisis. Other highlights of the speech included another call for additional infrastructure funding, recognizing Detroit for the rebuilding occurring in the city post-bankruptcy, and called for the creation of a bipartisan commission to develop a 21^st century education system.

Last year’s address was focused on the accomplishments over the past several years, including, growing the state’s rainy-day fund, the success of the Healthy Michigan Plan,  and the steps taken by the state to aid the City of Flint. The Governor did call for several initiatives, including reducing wait time for senior in-home services, expanding the secure neighborhoods program, expanding vocational training programs in state prisons, and increasing computer science education.

As we look ahead to the Governor’s final address in a few weeks, it’s hard to know what he will include, but surely, he will recap everything that his administration has accomplished during his two terms as Governor, and his hopes for the future of Michigan once he leaves office.

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