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Governor Whitmer's Final State Of The State Address Take Aways
Russ Survance
Thu, 26 Feb 2026 12:12:18 EST
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Gretchen Whitmer delivered her final State of the State address Wednesday in Lansing, outlining priorities that include road repairs, affordable housing, literacy improvements and protecting access to health care.
Whitmer pointed to accomplishments during her time in office, including eliminating certain retirement taxes, expanding the Working Families Tax Credit, increasing the rainy-day fund, offering tuition-free community college, expanding free school meals and Pre-K, replacing lead service lines and repairing thousands of miles of roads. She also cited declining crime and overdose rates and population growth gains as signs of progress.
Looking ahead, the governor proposed a three-part literacy plan focused on universal Pre-K, evidence-based reading instruction and expanded tutoring. To address housing costs, she called for a state-level affordable housing tax credit and zoning changes to spur construction. On health care, she urged extending federal Affordable Care Act subsidies and proposed limiting medical debt interest rates and keeping such debt off credit reports.
In the Republican response, some argued many families are still struggling with high costs and said road repairs have fallen short of promises despite increased state spending. They criticized the administration over unemployment fraud losses, pandemic-era policies and student performance, noting lagging reading and math scores.
Republicans say they want to reduce government spending, eliminate waste and fraud, roll back clean energy expansion mandates, reform education with a third-grade reading guarantee and greater parental control, and streamline regulations affecting housing, child care and health care.
