LANSING, Mich. — State Sen. Jim Runestad, R-White Lake, on Wednesday released the following statement in response to the governor’s annual State of the State address:
“Gov. Whitmer has a lot of ideas. But the past six years have proven that they aren’t always good ideas.
“Sadly, the reality is that the state of our state under Gov. Whitmer’s leadership is crumbling — crumbling roads and bridges, a sluggish economy and failing schools. Michigan ranks 40th in the nation for road quality, 39th in job growth and 40th in per capita income. Meanwhile, 75% of our fourth and eighth graders cannot read proficiently At the same time, state spending has grown over 40% under Gov. Whitmer’s watch, and the previous Lansing Democrat trifecta succeeded in blowing through a $9 billion surplus with record-setting budgets focused on bloated government and pet projects.
“We don’t need new taxes to fix our roads — we need to prioritize our spending. Legislative Republicans have put forward a sustainable road funding plan that will do this. We can support our students and teachers by focusing on proven resources, getting back to the basics, and restoring high expectations and accountability — not rolling back standards. We can find room to cut taxes and return money back to the pockets of hardworking Michiganders instead of funneling millions into some of the world’s largest corporations.
“It’s time to face the facts: We cannot simply tax and spend our way into prosperity. There is a better way forward for Michigan. Our best days are yet to come.”