LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) –  Newly installed Michigan Speaker of the House Matt Hall (R-Richland Township) and other Republicans are pushing back against Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s “Road Ahead” plan, with some calling her “out of touch” and “wrong.”

Whitmer called for more spending and increased taxes on Wednesday to invest in Michigan’s roads. “Fix the damn roads” has been a cornerstone of both her gubernatorial campaigns and her tenure, with some Republicans saying she has little to show for it.

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In addition, Whitmer attempted to outline a strategy for Michigan’s auto industry so it doesn’t lose its edge to Chinese companies.

Fix the damn roads for real.

Speaker Hall released an updated plan to fund the roads as Whitmer’s debt-funded bonding prepares to end. He said that particular fund only provided support for state highways. “The plan [Republicans rolled out] in November permanently dedicated $1.7 billion in funding from the Corporate Income Tax (CIT),” Hall said in a media release. “After significant review, that total is now up to $2.2 billion, and specific line items have now been identified, leading to a more detailed and more robust plan for the roads.”

Since the funds are already there, State Rep. Mike Harris (R-Waterford) pushed back against Whitmer’s call for new sources of revenue to fix the roads.

“Republicans and Democrats agree: Fixing Michigan’s roads needs to be a priority for state government,” Harris said. “But the governor is wrong on how to pay for it. We can repair our roads and drive to a better future without running over Michigan taxpayers,” Harris added.

State Rep. Donni Steele (R-Orion Township) responded to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s Road Ahead Speech, where she attempted to spin crumbling infrastructure and failed corporate handouts as positive highlights from her time as governor.

“You can’t drive anywhere in Michigan where the local road ahead doesn’t include potholes,” said Steele. “The governor used this speech as an attempt to justify the fact that she lost interest on important issues, regardless of how she tries to define her own legacy.”

Take on China together?

In addition, Whitmer called for Michiganders to help her “take on China together” after spending years using taxpayer dollars to incentivize Chinese companies to build in the Great Lakes State.

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“The governor is out of touch by hinting at more corporate welfare while people in our state are unable to make ends meet,” said Michigan House Associate Speaker Pro-Tempore Jay DeBoyer (R-Clay Township). He attacked what he called Whitmer’s “partisan wish list”

“A recent news report disclosed the state of Michigan has offered eight companies more than $1 billion each in taxpayer-funded incentives and future tax breaks just in the last three years,” DeBoyer said. “These projects promise jobs and growth but routinely underdeliver – with the Marshall EV battery plant being a prime example. We should not be doubling down on this strategy.”

Working together must be more than just a catchphrase.

Whitmer used familiar catchphrases on Wednesday, talking about bipartisan solutions and working together. However, those political talking points will have to be put into action as Whitmer’s Democratic majority dissipates with Republicans taking over the Michigan House.