November 17, 2025 

Contact: [email protected] 

ICYMI: Gov. Whitmer Op-Ed in Washington Post “If we’re going to do tariffs, let’s do them right” 

LANSING, Mich. – Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer published an op-ed in the Washington Post calling for a more strategic national tariff policy to make life more affordable for Michiganders and Americans alike. 

“The current tariff strategy is making everything more expensive,” wrote Governor Whitmer. “Let’s bring down costs by carving out goods Americans need to survive, industries that support American jobs and our economy, and countries that are our economic and democratic allies… Here’s my message to the people advising the president: It’s time for a strategic approach to tariffs. Let’s work together to make life more affordable.” 

More Op-Ed Highlights 

• “During the 2024 campaign, Republicans hammered relentlessly on the promise to bring down the price of groceries, energy, cars, health care and housing — “on day one.” But food prices are up. A new car costs more than $50,000 on average. Health care premiums on the Affordable Care Act exchange are double or triple what they were for most people last year. Rents are still too high, and we’re not building enough quality affordable homes.” 

• “Recent findings from several State of Michigan Department reports prove what people already feel — prices just seem to keep going up.” 

• “October was one of the worst months for Michigan employment in two decades. The Michigan Retailers Association found that roughly two-thirds of small retailers have increased prices because of tariffs or the threat of them.” 

• “Let’s use all the new tariff revenue we’re bringing in to reinvest in American businesses and workers. If we continue using broad, poorly designed tariffs, American families pay more for everything, Michigan farmers lose out on billions in exports because of retaliation, and large and small businesses cannot plan for the future.” 

Highlights of State of Michigan Department Tariff Reports 

Earlier this year, Governor Whitmer signed an executive directive instructing State of Michigan departments to compile information on how tariffs would impact their core functions. The department’s reports found that tariffs would raise the cost of housing, food, construction, and more. 

• Housing: The National Association of Home Builders reported that tariff-related increases in the price of a new home total about $10,900. Increased construction costs will push prices for new homes higher than they are now and make the market for existing housing even tighter.  

• Agriculture & Food: Food prices are expected to rise 3.6% this year because of tariffs. Families in bottom 10% to 20% will see a 5% drop in disposable income, meaning tough choices at the grocery store, further exacerbated by SNAP cuts. Food processors are seeing costs of their inputs go up considerably, raising prices of a typical Thanksgiving meal (cinnamon in apple pie, sage and thyme in stuffing). Food packaging also seeing much higher costs, as much as 12%, raising costs of canned goods for consumers. Comparing the first half of 2025 to the same period last year, Michigan’s soybean, wheat, cherry, and apple exports all fell significantly. 

• Parks: Ongoing upgrades to state parks are more unpredictable and costly as needed materials become more expensive because of tariffs. Specifically, costs spiking on goods DNR needs to upgrade & maintain parks including construction machinery parts (up 36%) and turf and grounds care equipment (up 4.4%).  

• Water: Some vendors reported cost increases of up to 15% on materials for water infrastructure projects including drinking water, wastewater, and flooding prevention. Many talked about increasing the projected cost of future projects because they are having to price in uncertainty driven by tariffs. 

• Roads: Continued tariffs could raise the material costs to fix the damn roads up to $168 million, diminishing the state’s ability to fix critical roads and bridges on time and under budget. When combined with inflation, the total cost will increase to up to $218 million.  

• Insurance: Auto insurance providers could file for higher rates and ultimately increase premiums on Michiganders because of the higher cost of vehicle parts driven by tariffs. 

Impact of Tariffs on Michigan Manufacturing  

• Big Three auto companies like Stellantis and GM have reported significant losses, citing tariffs as a major culprit.  

• Ford is taking out a new line of credit due to economic uncertainty and said tariffs will cost $2 billion.  

• A Zeeland clock company that has operated in Michigan for nearly a century is closing its doors due to tariffs. 

Lowering Costs for Michiganders 

Governor Whitmer has been focused on lowering costs for Michiganders. Since taking office, the Whitmer-Gilchrist administration has: 

• Rolled back the retirement tax to save 500,000 households an average of $1,000 a year. 

• Quintupled the Michigan Working Families Tax Credit to give over 650,000 working families an average tax refund of more than $3,800. 

• Ended state taxes on tips, overtime, and Social Security. 

• Signed a deal raising the minimum wage to $15/hour one year ahead of schedule for more than 700,000 workers and making Michigan’s earned sick time the best in the country, while providing more flexibility for small businesses. 

• Established Michigan Reconnect to offer any Michigander 25 and older tuition-free associate’s degree or skills certificate. 

• Established the Michigan Achievement Scholarship to save students thousands of dollars a year as they pursue a skills certificate, associate’s degree, or bachelor’s degree. 

• Expanded access to free pre-K to every four-year-old, saving families average of $14,000 a year and helping every kid arrive at kindergarten better prepared to learn. 

• Delivered refunds of $400 per vehicle back in the pockets of Michigan drivers. 

• Announced the MI Open Account Coalition offering low or no-cost financial services, saving 120,000 eligible families an average of $3,000 a year and helping them build wealth.  

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