During the State of the State address this week, Governor Gretchen Whitmer laid out several proposals, which would need legislative approval. Following her address, Republican House and Senate members responded to her ideas.

First, the governor proposed two major tax reforms; repealing the retirement tax and increasing the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).

• • Senator Jim Stamas (R-Midland), who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, made the following comment, “The governor has called for several tax cuts. I’ve always supported putting money back into the pockets of taxpayers. The focus is to find a way to responsibly provide relief, knowing that our current level of revenue is not sustainable with much being one-time federal funding.
  • Representative Matt Hall (R-Emmett Twp.), chairman of the House Tax Policy Committee, made the following statement on tax reforms, ““We must carefully look at lowering taxes where federal dollars have allowed for an injection of funding and created an opportunity to provide relief. Inflation, workforce shortages and supply chain disruptions have hit the pocketbooks of many people extremely hard and are forcing them into tough financial decisions. Sensible tax reductions can alleviate this while getting more money into our state and local economies.”

Second, Governor Whitmer called for an increased investment to expand access to mental health services and capping the cost of insulin.

• • Senator Curt Vanderwall (R-Ludington), chair of the Senate Health Policy and Human Services Committee, had this to say “I was happy to hear the governor voice her support for expanding mental health services across the state. The plan, which she referenced, came from my very own bill, Senate Bill 246, which passed the Senate unanimously.” He also stated, “I look forward to working with the governor and anyone else who shares my passion for this important issue.”
  • Representative Bronna Kahle (R-Adrian), who chairs the House Health Policy Committee, commented that ““As chair of the Health Policy Committee, ensuring Michigan residents have access to the care they need is among my top priorities. I am encouraged to hear the governor is committed to improving access to insulin and mental health care – especially in the wake of her forced school closures that resulted in a surge of mental health burdens for our young people. I am hopeful she will work with us to make those promises a reality.

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