Tonight, before a joint convention of the Michigan Senate and the Michigan House of Representatives, Governor Rick Snyder delivered his eighth, and final, State of the State address. Unlike in past years, the Governor used examples throughout the address to highlight his points. Throughout the night he also gave credit to many individuals who have played a role in the comeback of the state, from community colleges, to legislators, to members of First Robotics, and local mayors.

The Governor started by providing a look back to where Michigan had been seven years ago, when he took office, to where the state is now. Governor Snyder read through bits of a Wall Street Journal article that painted the Michigan economy as bleak in 2009, contrasted to a 2017 Wall Street Journal article calling Michigan the “comeback story.” 

Some of the measures of success Governor Snyder pointed to include: 

• Hundreds of thousands of private sector jobs that have been created 
• The auto industry is making a comeback
• Michigan is dominating the field of research and development in the automotive industry
• The state has the second most diverse agriculture sector in the country
• Tourism in Michigan has been setting records, including events drawing national attention
• Last year, more people came into Michigan than left the state 
• Early middle college programs have increased to 136 programs statewide
• Community College investments in new equipment, helping skilled trades programs
• Large investments in the state’s infrastructure
• Home values are improving
• Flint is continuing to see good water results, nearing the levels seen in other cities
• A 58% increase in visitors to state parks in the Upper Peninsula
• For the first time since 1993, the prison population has declined to less than 40,000
• Completed structurally sound budgets, while also addressing long term unfunded liabilities
• Increased the state’s rainy day from $2 million when he took office to almost $900 million today

Governor Snyder also called for new or additional funding and programs, including:

• Additional funding in the upcoming fiscal year’s budget for infrastructure
• The state should become a leader when it comes to the Lead and Copper Rule
• Michigan needs to continue to be a worldwide leader in mobility
• Additional investments in education, including an increase in per-pupil funding
• Legislation creating an A-F grading system for schools
• Being proactive on dealing with PFAS

Governor Snyder also announced that everyday next week, he will roll out a new idea for improvements in infrastructure and the environment. The topics being rural broadband, the clean Michigan initiative, increasing recycling rates, preventing invasive carp, and improvements to water infrastructure. Additional details will be released on those topics throughout the week.

Governor Snyder state that talent is his number one priority. In the coming months he will lay out his Marshall Plan to put Michigan students and business on the right path forward by working together. He called on the state to become a worldwide leader in talent development and public-private partnerships.  Governor Snyder also took time to speak on civility and how everyone must act like a family and come together to make our state great.

Finally, he thanked the legislators, businesses, state government workers, and residents who have partnered with him throughout his tenure. Reinventing Michigan has been his goal since he first thought about running for Governor and he feels that Michigan has been successful in becoming a far better state than it was eight years ago. Governor Snyder ended his address with advice for future leaders; to continue the path that Michigan is on, solve problems without partisan divides, and act like leaders, not like politicians.

In this Friday’s newsletter on the MLC Blog, we will have the key details from the Democratic response to tonight’s address.

For more information and details, please visit Governor Snyder’s State of the State page, by clicking here.

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