LANSING (AP) — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer will seek “common ground” with the Republican-led Legislature in her State of the State address, pitching a multibillion-dollar pandemic relief plan that would prioritize coronavirus vaccinations and additional aid to schools and businesses amid the crisis.
The spending proposal, first announced last week, will comprise a “good chunk” of the her third annual speech Wednesday night, she said.
The Democrat also will urge approval of a $500 million initiative to upgrade water and wastewater infrastructure — initially unveiled in October — and call for passage of bills that would let counties levy local fuel and vehicle registration taxes if authorized by voters.
“We can't talk about the state of our state without talking about COVID — where we've been, where we are and where we're headed,” the governor told The Associated Press. “We recognize there's light at the end of the tunnel.”
The virus, which has resulted in 600,000-plus cases in Michigan and contributed to the deaths of more than 15,300 residents in 10 months, continues to dominate Whitmer's attention.
Though a majority of the public has backed her handling of the pandemic, Whitmer has faced GOP criticism, a lawsuit and protests — egged on by then-President Donald Trump — over restrictions such as a mask mandate and indoor restaurant dining ban.
The governor said Michigan's current COVID-19 metrics are stronger than elsewhere because of the “pause" that reduced surging infections, but she wants to find bipartisan agreement with Republicans on pandemic funding for vaccinations, K-12 schools and businesses.
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