(WXYZ) — Tonight, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer will deliver her fourth and final State of the State address of her term.
She is expected to touch on a variety of issues during her speech including the pandemic, education, school safety, and roads.
The governor, who is seeking re-election, will use her speech not only as a report card for the state but as a political speech where she can speak directly to Michigan voters.
The director of the Center for Civic Engagement at Oakland University says she will most likely tout accomplishments where she can including the recent investment wins for the region.
“The governor [will] take some credit for the $6.5 billion investment that GM is planning to make," Professor Dave Dulio said. "That’s going to be especially important coming in the wake of the Ford investment that isn’t coming to Michigan.”
And then there are things the governor cannot avoid talking about like the pandemic, still at the center of our daily lives and impacting things like education and the labor market.
Last week, the governor made stops in metro Detroit ahead of her fourth State of the State including in Waterford where she participated in a roundtable about education and mental health.
"What’s the future of our children’s education looking like," one Southfield resident questioned.
On that front, Dulio expects the Nov. 30th tragedy in Oxford Township to get a mention tonight.
“It’s hard to imagine the governor not talking about the tragedy in Oxford," he said. "How far she takes it, whether it is more of an acknowledgment or does she take it farther than that and make some specific calls for gun reform? I think that’s to be determined.”
The governor is also expected to call on lawmakers to triple Michigan's tax credit for low and moderate earners. She is also asking them to gradually end the retirement or pension tax.
The State of the State address will take place virtually at 7 p.m. and be streamed on WXYZ.com.
