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members of the joint convention, the governor of the great state of michigan. [applause] [cheering] thank you. good evening, michigan. the home of the best football in the country. am i right? >> the national championship wolverines to the detroit lions. i am excited to be here tonight between two leaders that have gotten a lot done over the past

year. my best friend and my good friend the senate majority leader. [applause] i want to acknowledge the minority leaders matt hall and aaron. thank you for your leadership and a happy early birthday to you. we delivered a balanced budget focused on the kitchen table issues of 2023, and i know we are going to do that again this year in 2024 and i want to acknowledge so many incredible partners that i have. lieutenant governor gilchrest.

[applause] our attorney general. [applause] and i always want to make a point of acknowledging to incredible public servants who lead groups of public service and to show up on the front lines in the most dire of times. please join me in thanking major general paul rogers from the national guard. [applause]

to our state employees, my executive office team, thank you for your tireless efforts on behalf of the people of michigan. [applause] let's get this show on the road. like some of you, i am a product of the 80s. i love big hair and bold leather jackets. classic movies and of course classic rock and all great albums from the 80s have some things in common. chart topping hits that everyone loves, cuts from a few experimental tracks. at their best to these are thess records who impact a single year or artist and our best that's what we aspire to do to get things done that outlast us. make policy for future generations. over the past year, our record

like any great album have something in it for everyone and all of the tracks were policy bound by a common theme, making a difference in people's lives. we composed this thanks to the people in the room and every michigander at home. the groups only succeed when all its members are thriving and lately we are in harmony. let's go through. a lot of people had faith we would roll back the retirement tax on our seniors. we got it done and saved an average of the thousand dollars a year. [applause]

we rolled back this tax and i want to thank angela witmer for her leadership. [applause] we quintupled the working family tax credit so people working nine to five or second or third shift get hundreds more back in their pockets. let's acknowledge senator kristin mcdonald for getting it done. [applause] this year the senate and the house democratic legislative majority delivered a billion dollars in tax relief. this year seniors will keep more of what they earned and hundreds of thousands of working families

will get refund checks putting money back in their pockets to help with groceries or gas or home repairs. we all know girls just want to have fun and pay down debt, so we did. since i took office week. don't $18 billion in state debt and brought the rainy day fund to an all-time high of nearly $2 billion. we even created a rainy day fund for the school and put nearly $500 million into it. we are making great strides and we won't back down in our fight to protect reproductive freedom. [applause]

will michigander's past crop three to repeal the 1931 abortion ban thanks to the hard work of so many in this room including representative trotsky and to senator giese. and for every sweet child of ours in michigan, we have made school lunch and breakfast free of charge for every michigan child. [applause] all 1.4 million michigan public school students get two meals a day so they can focus on

learning and so their parents can save $850 a year on groceries per student. i want to thank the senator darren and representative regina white that led this effort. [applause] when i introduced my next budget, we will keep feeding students and lowering grocery bills for families. [applause] we also put cost saving pieces of the affordable care act into state law. you might be wondering what does cost got to do, got to do with it. now young people can stay on their parents insurance until they turn 26, and you can't be charged more for having a pre-existing condition. [applause]

because no one should be running up that bill to get better when they are sick. okay. [laughter] a little bit more coffee before the next estate of the state. some of folks are trying to repeal the aca and strip healthcare a way for kids in seniors and working families. we've got your back like a rock here in michigan. [applause] we will protect your care no matter what. i want to thank the representatives for their hard work on this issue. [applause]

while other states restrict your freedom to be who you are and love who you love, we heed the words of ms. diana ross and say we are coming out to protect the rights of the lgbtq plus communities. [applause] thank you, senator and of course representative hoskins for your work on this. [applause] we also ended discrimination bypassing the chrome act. thank you, senator anthony. [applause]

and finally, to protect every breath you take and our great lakes, we enacted historic clean energy packages. together we will reach 100% clean energy by 2024, i'm sorry, 2040, lower the cost of scoped utilities by an average of $145 and create thousands of the greatest paying jobs backed by the labor standards of the country and make more energy here with american workers. [applause] i want to thank senator singh, guist and the representative for making michigan and national leader on climate action. [applause]

so, we have a heck of a record and restart fired up. at the state of our state is ready to rock. we got into the groove last year but they do not rest on their morals. they make it better than the last one. there's more to do and nothing that's going to stop us now. let's talk about the challenges michigander space today. it is hard to buy a house, afford a car or save for retirement while keeping up with the bill. people put things off to make ends meet, replacing old tires, busted gutters, body and your child a warm coat. no matter who you are or where you come from if you work hard, you should be able to provide for your family and have a fair

shot at a better future. we should have the freedom to live the way that you want. that is the american dream and you should be able to achieve that in michigan. our best is what we are, a home for opportunity, for people seeking a good life and a good cost of living. tonight that's what i'm going to focus on, how we keep lowering costs and improve education instead of our children for success. make more stuff right here in michigan and compete the world. so first, cost. no one likes paying six dollars for a box of cereal or an oil change than last year but i want to be upfront. i cannot solve global inflation alone. no one person can not even a president. if you meet someone who says they have a secret plan to fix inflation, run the other way. what we can do is make life more

affordable by lowering cost on the biggest items in your monthly budget. when your paycheck hits your bank account, you know the largest most important expenses are going to be housing, childcare, transportation, education, utilities. from the retirement tax and free school meals the michigan achievement scholarship program that lowers the cost by thousands to programs like try share/the cost by 66%. things are headed in the right direction. inflation and slowing down. unemployment remains low and take-home pay is up. it's a great time to find a great paying job with unions fighting successfully for better pay and benefits. president biden's policy to create jobs and supply chains is to hold michigan around the world.

still, yes. [applause] still michigander's need more breathing room. we will continue our to lower cost of the biggest items on the budget. a few weeks ago i rolled out the michigan vehicle rebate to lower the cost of buying a new car with a thousand dollar rebate off any car. it was assembled by the union you get an extra $500, so that's 2500 off. my rebate would be offered at the point of sale so you actually save money if you walk out of the dealership. the auto industry has been the backbone of the economy for a century powered by the men and women of the uaw. [applause]

we want the auto workers and industry to thrive right here in michigan and i know that unites us. [applause] so let's hope that both do what they do best. make the world's best cars and trucks with of the my vehicle rebate, we can lower cost to support to a union made future. next, housing. usually the largest expense in anyone's budget. right now too many spend more than half their income on their rent or mortgage. hours housing stock is nearly half of all units in michigan were built before 1970. young people site housing affordability as one of their top concerns. these are statewide challenges.

in the school district they need housing for teachers who have nowhere else to live. on the west side there are not enough homes for growing families and i know they see higher rates when they reassign. in other words, the rent is too damn high-end we don't have enough houses. [applause] so our response is simple. build baby build. let's go. [applause] our target is clear in michigan's first ever statewide housing plan that i commissioned last year we set a goal of 75,000 new or refurbished units and we are headed in the right direction. in the five years since i took

office, we've invested double that we did the previous eight years to build or rehabilitate 34,000 housing units and a good paying construction jobs across the process. local partners are getting it done. november 2022 to november 2023. laying open, mccomb and kent permitted over 8,000 units. let's build more of every kind of housing single-family home. apartments, mixed-use buildings. in 2024 we will pick the largest investments to build housing in michigan's history. let's get it done. [applause] we will invest almost

1.4 billion to rebuild nearly 10,000 homes. that is ten times what we put into housing just ten years ago. getting this done will support thousands of middle-class jobs and skilled trades from pipe fitters and carpenters and rivers. housing is a serious challenge. we are making a serious investment. it's about so much more than just a roof over your head. how it builds generational wealth in school and work and life. finally, the calling for a new caregiver tax credit. it will put pockets. i know how tiring caregiving can be when you are juggling a career and kids of your own. when i was sandwiched between my

new dollar and my mom, i was pushed to my limit by having the resources and help. maybe you are concerned about how your kids would take care of you while living with her own life. the caring for my family tax credit could see thousands up to $5,000 on their taxes. [applause] by allowing people to write off counseling, transportation or services, we can save them money and help more seniors at home

and in dignity because the long-term option we can support parents and children with long-term care needs by saving them money. we know the burden of caregiving falls disproportionately on women and especially women of color. while the caregiving work they do is often. family members provide about $522 billion in uncompensated care every year. let's support them by giving them a tax break so that they can take care of their loved ones. now let's talk about education. this is a priority all parents share, whether you're in a small

town or a big city. republican, democrat or independent, getting ahead or just getting by. you want your child to succeed. i'm proud of the record bipartisan investments we've made since i took office. republicans and democrats raised by 22% in the last five years. that's hundreds more for every child, invested directly to the local pollutant district. the two lower class sizes and computer labs, we also invested in campus safety and mental health and made breakfast and lunch for free. they cannot reach their full potential. every parent knows the person standing in the front of the classroom matters. educators are undermined or criminalized just for doing their job. in florida, teachers were

disrespected and the commands are rampant. two weeks ago, a district van. in texas nearly one and three ie teachers are not even certified. that's not how you improve education. we are forging a different path, sending a message loud and clear. we support our teachers. [applause] we fund scholarships and future educators pay and help full-time teachers with student loans, so

they stay in michigan. we accept out-of-state certificates though so if you have experience, you can enter the classroom without jumping through bureaucratic. the teacher prep programs are beating other states. so, a message to america's teachers, if you want to teach, we want you here. [applause] in michigan we left teachers do what they do best. education in michigan needs more support and work and we want to student outcomes to exceed our expectations. we need to better prepare students for success until they graduate whether they go right

into the workforce or enter community college, trade a school or a four-year university. there is no correct path but every person deserves a path. it depends on the person. we can get everyone ready. a big part of the distorting education earlier and continuing later. four-year-olds that go to kindergarten are more likely to graduate, go to college and earn more over their lifetime and we know higher education or skills training leads to higher income. you get an associates degree you can earn $23,000 more a year. the best paying job today and in our future economy requires some education after high school. so we must support our kids from pre-k through postsecondary to prosperity. last year i proposed for all

giving every child a solid economic foundation. together, we are changing our definition of education to include pre-k. and last year we expanded to 5600 more students. this year we are going to go a lot further and in the next budget let's deliver for every single 4-year-old in michigan two years ahead of schedule. when we get this done no matter who you are, where you come from or how much you make your child

can be enrolled and be successful. let this be a message to parents and other states. we've got your back every step of the way and will save. [applause] we need to be a state of lifelong learners and we know that education doesn't and after high school graduation. that's why we lowered the cost with the michigan achievement scholarship, saving thousands. [applause] we made community college at a job training for medical text and electricians tuition free for anyone 21 and older with the michigan reconnect. and today i propose we go

further. in the next budget, let's take the 21st years of community college and tuition free for every high school graduate. [applause] [cheering] as michigan pursues a skill certificate at a community college they can save an average of $3,000 in tuition. this is a transformational opportunity for graduating seniors and will help us achieve our 65-30 goal having 60% of the adult population with postsecondary schools, training or a degree by 2030. ..

[applause] >> finally, let's talk about making it in michigan. it is happening nationwide with 800,000 manufacturing jobs added since 2021. companies are investing in america especially in michigan in a big way. we are competing and winning the future of the auto industry making cars and semiconductors and batteries here instead of china. you may have heard about expansions by the big three in detroit, flint, so many businesses from other states and nations expanding or moving to

michigan. giga factory, scout motors, r&d hub, battery plant in detroit, hidro aluminum recycling facility in michigan and semiconductor waffer plant in bay city. we are showing the world that we make a lot more than just cars. in the decades ahead we will dominate manufacturing of batteries and chips and clean energy too. to keep winning we must upgrade our economic development tool kit. we can and must outcompete our neighbors. tonight i want to talk about some new tools. we know michigan is home to a lot of research and development or r&d. thanks to our leading universities and businesses. unfortunately we are one of just a handful of states without a tax credit to incentivize r&d.

every other mid western state has one and r&d tax credit will unleash innovation by lowering cost for businesses. let's get it done. [applause] so let's start the hire the michigan fund to lower payroll taxes to these firms. value here is system, the more you higher in michigan, the more you should save in michigan. we had a similar bipartisan program years ago that worked well. let's bring it back because, well, everyone loves a throwback, right? we also -- [applause] >> thank you. >> we also need to uplift regions that have too often been

left out or left behind, renaissance stores, we can thrive investment and create local jobs. we already have several of these statewide but there are strict categories that define them and eligible projects within them are so tightly defined. let's simplify these into a single flexible category to incentivize growth in michigan and finally let's establish an innovation fund to invest in high growth start-ups that will create the future right here in michigan. right now we have no state level mechanism to attract and retain promising young companies with the new innovation fund we can launch hundreds of new michigan base start-ups and create thousands of jobs. together we will build the infrastructure for innovations so founders can start and build their companies right here in

michigan. [applause] >> as we win all the projects our infrastructure has to keep up. the growing michigan together council identified infrastructure is one of the keys to growing our population. that's why we are fixing the damn roads and bridges and everything in between. since i took office we have looked 20,000 lane miles of road and 14 bridges supporting 118,000 good-paying jobs. i know that you saw it last year. the orange barrel was in full bloom. [applause] >> and the hard-working men and women who fix our roads were out

in force getting the job done. 3 and a half billion dollar investment to fix our roads supporting jobs without raising, 94 in jackson, 196 between holland, a few blocks from here. we made progress on them all. tonight i'm calling on the michigan department of transportation to authorize final $700 million of rebuilding michigan plan. [applause] >> the final round of projects includes 94 along metro airport

in detroit, 696 from southfield through warren and a bridge in the eerie township. the rebuilding michigan plan is making commutes safer. saving drivers time and money and allowing businesses to ship projects products more easily across michigan. let's keep fixing those damn roads. [applause] >> every michigander deserves a classic michigan story. you work hard, follow your dreams and build a great life. when you get knocked down, you get up again. you keep fighting, that's what makes us special. just look at our alliance. once -- yeah.

[applause] >> once a punch line are now a power house. they've dominated by centering the grit that defines every michigander on the way up they turned nay sayers and cynics into dreamers and i don't know if you recall but our wolverines are our national champions, right? [applause] [laughter] >> i'm looking at my fellow spartans, i know it's hard some time but both incredible teams

are showing the country what michigan is all about. that story, our story can be seen in our people's stories. tonight i want to tell you one about a woman named elaine. elaine is here with us today. elaine, if you wouldn't mind standing. she's right there. elaine was born in the wake of world war ii. she was one of 7 kids and grew up poor. after graduating from high school she worked odd jobs and got marry and moved to chicago. after her divorce she came home to michigan with her sons. she struggled as a single mom. one day over dinner in the parking lot of a fast-food point she made her son a promise. one day she would be able to eat sit-down restaurants with metal

forks and waiters that refill your drink without asking. elaine worked hard using food stamps to put groceries in the fridge and housing assistance to put a roof over her son's head. she was a secretary for years but wanted to change her dream and get a job that gave her a sense of purpose. she never thought -- well, elaine, i'm glad that you proved yourself wrong. she went back to state with a grant and earned two degrees. [applause] >> after graduating with her masters in social work at 45 she had a successful career in

saginaw. she volunteered in local shelters and wrote a book, my grandchildren made me laugh. what elaine is most proud of, however, is who her sons have become. she calls themselves fine young men who care for themselves and for their families. mark and cody are with her today. one works at the same clinic elaine did and the other heads back to college soon following in her footsteps. elaine and my mom were born about six years apart. they both worked hard and faced adversity and persevered. they are both strong, proud women from michigan and that's a branch of honor -- badge of honor. [cheers and applause]

>> elaine's story is a michigan story. she had simple dreams for her kids. she wanted them to get a great education and eat at a restaurant occasionally. she wanted them to have hope and be good people. tonight's proposal that is we are focused on is that we can make more stories like elaine's possible in michigan. we will build a michigan, if you get knocked down, you have the support you need to get back up. improving education so that your kids can thrive and ensuring you can make it, we will deliver real change for people right now and michiganders. a mom who can afford a nicer place to live in a new housing that we are building. so if you can get associate's

degree, tuition with the michigan reconnect making more time to study in the mornings because our parents don't have to pack a lunch for their kids, being able to drive them to school on safe roads where they know that they will be taught by a skilled educator and receive a public education from prek through community college. we are a state of humble, hey, go at it. [laughter] [applause] we are a state of humble hard-working people with big dreams for our children. this year let's keep rocking so everyone can have their own classic michigan story. i thank you all for your time tonight. i thank you for the hard work that you do every single day, encourage you to drive safe, root for the lions and have a good night. let's go.

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