LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Gov. Rick Snyder on Tuesday touted Michigan’s economic and fiscal gains under his watch, saying his tenure has had “huge ups and downs” but that the state is in better shape than before he took office.
In his eighth and final State of the State address, the Republican recapped his time as governor but said he has an ambitious agenda for his last year, with a focus on the workforce, infrastructure and the environment. He also pushed back against ongoing calls for a tax cut.
“During this period, we’ve had huge ups and downs. It hasn’t been a straight line. But overall, there is no question that Michigan is a far better state today than 2010,” Snyder told a joint session of the Legislature toward the end of the 53-minute speech.
Next week, he will unveil five major policy initiatives related to rural broadband access, recycling, Asian carp in the Great Lakes, water infrastructure and the replacement of bond money that has dried up for environmental cleanup. And in February, he will propose a budget with more spending on roads and bridges than is called for under a 2015 transportation funding deal, along with the largest increase in base per-pupil funding in the last 15 years.
He will detail a “Marshall Plan” for developing a talented workforce next month as well.