LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Back in the beginning of June, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer sent out a press release about Executive Order 2023-4 which created the “Growing Michigan Together Council.” It was a council put together to find out why Michigan is losing population and to “usher in a better tomorrow” by collaborating to “grow Michigan together” and attract more people and businesses to the state.

Whitmer had said in her press release about the council, “The best thing about Michigan are the people who call it home, and this council will ensure our state is able to attract talent and provide expanding opportunities for families.”

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Michigan News Source covered the council that was set up and described who would be on that council. One of the members of the council, a co-chair, is business owner and Republican John Rakolta Jr. who was appointed by Whitmer to be on the council.

Although it would be assumed by most that the people on the council would be folks who live in Michigan year-round, according to the Detroit News, Rakolta lives and votes in Florida. They report that he “appears to spend at least some of his time living outside the state and benefits from a homestead tax exemption on a waterfront property in Florida.”

Rakolta, a Michigan native is chairman of Walbridge, a Detroit-founded construction company. Additionally, he has set up multiple business entities in Florida as well, including one about three months ago.

The Detroit News found that Rakolta registered to vote in Palm Beach County in April of 2021 and still remains eligible to vote there according to county records. Oddly, they say he also appears to have an active voter registration in Michigan.

Rakolta sent a response to the Detroit News about this issue through text on Friday and said his wife owns the home in Florida and that they both also own two homes in Michigan. About the voting registration, he said, “Voting is a private matter.”

He also texted, “With this council, we can ensure Michigan has the tools to make this state a place where families want to live, work and build their lives.”

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Whitmer’s spokesman, Bobby Leddy said that Rakolta is respected by both Republicans and Democrats in the state. He added, “He was born and raised in Michigan, is a successful businessman whose company is headquartered in Michigan, was appointed by former President (Donald) Trump as an ambassador for the United States and has dedicated his life to civic and charitable work in Southeast Michigan (referring to Rakolta’s stint as ambassador to the United Arab Emirates.)”

Not being a Michigan resident doesn’t seem to be a requirement to be on Whitmer’s council as her executive order that created the population council doesn’t say that the members of the panel have to actually be residents of Michigan but instead that they should “reflect the socioeconomic, racial, ethnic, cultural, gender, occupational, political and geographic diversity of Michigan.”

Rep. Angela Rigas (R-Caledonia Township, Kent County) voiced frustration this week concerning the council which she calls a Trojan horse for future tax hikes on working families across the state.

Rigas said in a statement, “It’s no wonder the commission co-chair lives and votes in Florida. Jobs and young families don’t tend to move where salaries are low, taxes are high and regulation is out of control. Everyone wants out of Whitmer’s lockdown-state, including the head of the team she assembled to bring people here. That in and of itself sends a strong message to young professionals and job creators around the world: Michigan is broken. We want to fix it, but in the meantime, move to Florida.”

Rigas believes her initial concerns over the council have been validated. She said, “From the beginning this so-called commission was about one thing and one thing only: raising taxes. The fact that no one bothered to check if the people in charge even live here, just goes to show where their focus really is: on your checkbook. This commission is not bipartisan, it’s filled with more Democrats than Republicans and now it is led by a Florida voter and resident. It was created to pave the way for Democrat tax hikes. This will only make our state even more expensive and even less attractive to young professionals and job providers.”

Rigaas concluded in her statement, “If we want to fix this, we need real solutions from people that understand Michigan’s problems and that comes from the legislature, not unelected Democrat bureaucrats and out-of-state residents. If not, we’d be better off following this commission’s lead and relocating to a truly free state, like the head of this trojan horse of a commission.”