We are making investments in the U.P. — jobs, education, infrastructure, and more. See how we're helping Yoopers thrive.





*August 16, 2024*



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Dear Friend,

My administration is committed to investing in every part of our state to make Michigan the best place to live, work, raise a family, and build a future.

Michigan’s Upper Peninsula accounts for 29% of our state’s land and is home to some of Michigan’s most breathtaking natural landscapes, recreation, and rich cultural traditions, as well as key industries.

From the small towns along the shores of Lake Superior and nestled within our vast forests to the vibrant communities of places like Marquette, Houghton, Sault Ste. Marie, and Escanaba, we are focused on ensuring that the Upper Peninsula thrives as a key part of Michigan's future.

*That’s why we have invested more than $11 million to support more than 30 economic development projects, creating more than 300 jobs in the U.P. We also increased per-pupil funding for students in the U.P. by more than $1,200 and expanded access to free preschool.*

That’s just the start. Let’s talk about it!

Sincerely,

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Gretchen Whitmer

Governor






*New Budget Delivers for the U.P.*





We worked with legislators to deliver for our communities in the Upper Peninsula with the new balanced, bipartisan budget I signed last month.




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*Investing in Communities and Creating Opportunities*


* We secured $50 million in sustainable, recurring funding for Revitalization and Placemaking Grants, used to make communities more attractive by building housing, parks, and beautifying other places, building on a $100 million investment we made earlier this year.
* We established a 5% increase in revenue sharing to help counties, cities, villages, and townships improve quality of life.
* We also won ongoing funding for the Office of Rural Development to continue our focus on investments in rural communities and more than $7 million for the Helen Newberry Joy Hospital.

*Supporting our Kids*


* We increased per-pupil funding for students in the U.P. by more than $1,200, continuing our all-time high per-pupil investment—with over $10,000 per kid.
* For our students, we are providing $15 million in dedicated funds to recruit and retain teachers in rural areas and $125 million to make sure students in rural areas can get to school safely.
* We will keep feeding every student free breakfast and lunch, saving parents $850 a year, per kid, and valuable time every morning.
* In this budget, we expanded access to free pre-K to every four-year-old, prioritizing families who need it most.

*Lieutenant Governor Gilchrist Visits U.P., Highlights Economic Development*

This week, Lieutenant Governor Gilchrist visited the U.P., meeting with innovators in the outdoor recreation industry and specialty manufacturing.

On Thursday, he visited Race Ramps of MOTIS Brands, highlighting their recent $675,000 investment in the U.P. by relocating to Escanaba and establishing a specialty manufacturing center that serves outdoor recreation and automotive industries. 

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We will continue making progress to create opportunities and develop a skilled workforce in the U.P.

Right now, over 1,000 U.P. residents are on tuition-free paths to higher education or skills training thanks to Michigan Reconnect [ [link removed] ], a program offering anyone 21 and older a path to the skills they need for high-demand careers.

The new balanced, bipartisan budget delivered on the Michigan Guarantee, providing two years of in-district community college—tuition-free—to every Michigan high school graduate.

We also launched the Michigan Achievement Scholarship [ [link removed] ], lowering the cost of higher education by thousands for 75% of Michigan students. 

U.P. State Fair

While in the U.P., Lieutenant Governor Gilchrist took a visit to the U.P. State Fair to celebrate everything that makes the U.P. a special place.

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*Investing **in the U.P.’s Infrastructure *

Thanks to our partners in the Biden-Harris administration, the U.P. is receiving millions from programs like the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. We’re investing these funds in roads, bridges, rivers, harbors, conservation, recycling, high-speed internet, and more.

Having access to affordable, accessible high-speed internet is a game changer for our economy and quality of life. That’s why I created the Michigan High Speed Internet Office [ [link removed] ] to advance our goal to provide 100% access to high-speed internet to everyone across Michigan.

Michigan has secured $1.5 billion in federal funding to expand internet accessibility and affordability, and during my first term, we connected over 23,000 households, small businesses, and other locations across our state to affordable, high-speed internet.

We will keep building on this progress and making key investments to help Yoopers thrive.








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