Reject False Choices: Concerted Bipartisan Effort Needed to Grow Michigan’s Population

By Gov. Gretchen Whitmer

In my state of the state address, I talked about our shared goal to help more people “make it in Michigan.” Our state—or any state for that matter—thrives when we attract ambitious, hardworking young people and families and entrepreneurial, innovative businesses. Bringing more people and investment to Michigan will help us grow our economy, raise household incomes, and lead the future of key industries including cars, chips, and clean energy.

In the last century, our state was a beacon of opportunity for families from across the nation and around the world. So many people made Michigan home in the 1900s—we often had one of the fastest growing states in the nation, decade after decade. The secret to our success was economic opportunity and a solid quality of life. Families knew that our peninsulas represented a path to the middle class, a great education for their kids, and a stable retirement.

In the decades ahead, we must reclaim that mantle by delivering on the issues that make a real difference in people’s lives and building an economy of the future. In the first six months of 2023, we have been getting a heck of a lot done on the fundamental issues. We rolled back the retirement tax, quintupled a tax credit for working families, brought thousands of manufacturing jobs home, funded record housing and community development projects, and secured personal freedoms while other states rolled them back.

In the years ahead, we will need a concerted, bipartisan effort to pursue strategic population growth. We need everyone’s perspectives to create more of every kind of job, ensure strong growth in every region, and uplift everyone’s quality of life—from lifelong Michiganders to our new neighbors.

To help more people make Michigan home and grow our state together, we need to continue delivering on the basics and make long overdue investments in infrastructure and education—two of the pillars of successful growth. We need to improve education outcomes at every level, from preschool to postsecondary, so every kid can thrive from cradle to career. Upgrading infrastructure does not only mean fixing the damn roads. It means replacing every lead pipe, upgrading high-speed internet, shoring up our natural resources, and building housing.

Together, I know we can get a lot done to improve people’s lives today and fight for a brighter future for Michigan tomorrow. At our best, it’s what we do. We reject false choices between short-term benefits and long-term results. We know we can and must do both. That’s why this year’s conference theme is so prescient—it tells us that we must not relegate ourselves to choosing between prudence and prosperity, between economic development or environmental conservation, or between quality of life and cost of living.

Let’s do it all.

Gretchen Whitmer is the 49th governor of the State of Michigan.