LANSING, Mich. — Lawmakers from around the state will be in attendance at Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s fifth State of the State address, listening closely to the plans the governor will lay out.
That includes Republicans, who find themselves in the minority for the first time in 40 years.
FOX 17’s Doug Reardon talked with GOP Senator Mark Huizenga from the 30th District ahead of Wednesday night’s address.
This is new ground for Michigan Republicans, but Senator Huizenga said he’ll be listening for ways the governor can reach across the aisle.
Democrats control the House, Senate and executive office for the first time in decades.
While Huizenga says he’s excited to have the address back in person after a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19 when the event went virtual, he’s more interested in the governor’s economic proposals, specifically her plans to cut Michigan taxes money during a time of record high prices.
“I’ve always been on appropriations, and a budget guy even from back in the day when I was the mayor of the city of Walker, chair of the finance committee. I just want to make sure that we’re spending taxpayer dollars wisely,” said Huizenga. “Things like pension relief… These are things that we heard all across the district campaigning this year. We know pension relief is an important factor, I’m just hopeful that when we do that that it’s for everybody. It’s not just pensions, it’s 401(k)s.”
The governor did announce a repeal of the state’s retirement tax this month, but it only applied to pensions.
Huizenga hopes she announces plans to expand.
FOX 17 will televise Governor Whitmer's annual address Wednesday at 7 p.m.
You can also watch it live on our website, Facebook page and streaming apps.
Plus, we'll break down the speech in our 10 and 11 p.m. newscasts.
