 Dear Friend,
Over the past year, everyone has felt the squeeze of rising costs. From everyday expenses like groceries and school supplies to bigger costs like housing and cars, Michiganders need a little more breathing room in their budgets so they can provide for their families and build the bright future they deserve.
As governor, lowering costs is one of my top priorities. While we’ve taken big steps to make life more affordable in Michigan, the changes coming out of Washington D.C. over the past year have made life more expensive for working families. From chaotic national tariffs to the deepest cuts to health care and food assistance in U.S. history, national policies are jacking up your costs. The last year has also been full of economic uncertainty, making it harder for manufacturers and small businesses across our state to make long-term investments and plan for the future.
In Michigan, we’ve been focused on lowering costs. We eliminated state taxes on tips, overtime, and Social Security. We offer free pre-K and community college to everyone. We protected quality, affordable health care for millions of Michiganders who get their health care through Medicaid. We rolled back the retirement tax on our seniors and increased the Working Families Tax Credit by 500%. Both of these commonsense tax cuts put money back in pockets for groceries, gas, and the bills.
Next week, I will release my eighth and final executive budget recommendation. My budget continues all the work we’ve done and proposes new plans to lower costs for Michiganders. I will share more about lowering costs this year in my 2026 State of the State Address too. Tune in on Wednesday, February 25th at 7:00 p.m.
But first, I want to hear from you about how we can help lower costs for you and your family. How have you felt about the cost of living over this past year? Make your voice heard by sharing your opinion in the survey below:
Let’s keep working together to bring down costs and make life more affordable for every Michigander.
Sincerely,
 Gretchen Whitmer
Governor
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