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Dear Michigander, 

As governor, I know that what makes Michigan special is its people. That’s why I’m so proud of our balanced, bipartisan budget deal that invests in families and communities all throughout the state. This budget makes critical investments where it matters most – but I know there’s still work to be done. That’s why I’m pushing to lower costs for families, cut taxes, and provide inflation relief. That’s why I am focused on fighting for women to have control over their bodies, including by being informed about reproductive health and having access to birth control. And that’s why we are still working to fix the damn roads across Michigan, ensuring people have a safe route on their way to work or school. I am committed to working with anyone who is willing to put Michiganders first.  

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Investing in Families and Communities
Communities Investments in Budget graphic

Since day one, I have been focused on delivering on the kitchen-table issues that matter most to working families. Last week, the Michigan legislature and I agreed to a balanced, bipartisan budget that invests in families and communities [ [link removed] ] across Michigan. For example: 

Honoring those who serve 

To ensure those who served have the support they need, the budget funds construction of a new veterans’ home in Marquette, backs a suicide prevention outreach campaign, and shores up the pensions of MSP troopers. To honor the memory of those we have lost, it establishes a veterans’ cemetery in Grayling. 

Building up infrastructure 

The budget expands on the investments in the bipartisan Building Michigan Together Plan [ [link removed] ] I signed in April by speeding up replacement of lead service lines, reducing traffic congestion at local rail crossings, improving state fish hatcheries, and funding long-overdue maintenance projects at state facilities. 

Funding critical local projects 

The budget will make critical improvements to Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Macomb County; invest in Innovate Mound, a transformative project to rebuild Mound Road, one of the most important corridors in Southeast Michigan; and modernize Michigan’s armories, shoring up our readiness and supporting local construction jobs. 

This budget makes critical investments in working families and communities to help them thrive; it is proof of what’s possible when we put working families and communities first and stay focused on getting things done.  

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Let’s Get it Done: Cut Taxes, Lower Costs, and Inflation Relief

I am so grateful to my colleagues in the Legislature for working across the aisle with me to pass a balanced, bipartisan budget for Fiscal Year 2023. I will review and sign it as soon as possible, but I want to draw attention to work we still must do to cut taxes and put more money in people’s pockets [ [link removed] ].  

Right now, Michiganders are facing rising prices at the pump, the grocery store, and on countless everyday expenses. We need to come together to offer them real inflation relief right now. We can get this done because we still have billions of dollars in revenue left on the state balance sheet after our budget.  

If we build on our bipartisan collaboration on the budget, I'll be pushing to cut taxes for seniors and working families and put more money in people’s pockets. I laid out my plans to temporarily suspend the state sales tax on gas to lower prices for every driver, roll back the retirement tax to put an average of $1,000 back in the pockets of our seniors, triple a tax credit to deliver an average tax refund of $3,000 to 730,000 working families, and send $500 inflation relief checks to Michiganders. Let’s work together on a bipartisan agreement that helps Michigan’s working families. 

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You’re Invited! A Briefing on Environmental Issues





This week, my staff is holding a virtual briefing on environment issues. It will be held this *Thursday, July 14, *from *2:00p.m. - 2:30p.m. * 

During the event, you will hear from renowned environmental experts on how my administration is working to improve the environment to create a cleaner and green Michigan where we can all thrive. Panelists include:  


* Kerry C. Duggan, Founder and CEO of SustainabilD  
* Dr. Missy Stults, Sustainability and Innovations Director for the City of Ann Arbor  
* Kara Cook, Senior Advisor on Energy and the Environment to Governor Gretchen Whitmer 

*Join the Event Thursday at 2pm* [ [link removed] ]


In addition to hearing from the experts, we would also like to hear from you! Please submit questions ahead of time, and my staff will get to as many as we can during the live event. 

*Submit a Question* [ [link removed] ]

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Know the Difference: Emergency Contraception v. Abortion Medication

Last week, I joined the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) to launch a public education campaign [ [link removed] ] to inform people about the important differences between emergency contraception and medication abortion.  

Emergency Contraceptives v. Abortion Pill Flyer

Emergency contraception and medication abortion are completely different medications used for entirely different purposes. Both are currently legal in Michigan. But there is a lot of confusion, and so it’s critical that we launch this new public effort to give women and families the best, most accurate information about these medications.  

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Urging President Biden to Make Birth Control Over-the-Counter

This week, I called on President Biden [ [link removed] ] to make birth control available over the counter without a prescription, knocking down a costly barrier to accessing essential medication. This comes after a new application with the Food and Drug administration (FDA) by HRA Pharma to make birth control available over-the-counter. 

Letter to Biden [ [link removed] ]

We need to get creative and use every tool in our toolbox to protect reproductive freedom in Michigan and across the United States. This letter to President Biden urges federal action to make birth control available over-the-counter, so Michiganders and Americans nationwide are able to access it without a prescription. In the wake of the overturn of Roe v. Wade, we must pull out all the stops and take bold steps to protect women by ensuring that health – not politics – guides medical decisions. Let's work together so women have control over their own bodies.  

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Rebuilding Roads Statewide
LG at construction site

Yesterday, I announced nine major road projects [ [link removed] ] slated to begin this week in Berrien, Cheboygan, Lenawee, Mackinac, Manistee, Mecosta, Montcalm, Oakland, and Wayne counties. The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) projects include: 


* I-94 resurfacing project in Berrien County 
* Preparation work for the I-75 repair and rebuilding project in Cheboygan County 
* M-50 resurfacing and improvement project in Lenawee County 
* US-2 Rebuilding Michigan Project in Mackinac County 
* US-31/M-22 roundabout project in Manistee County 
* US-131 rebuilding in Mecosta County 
* M-91 Flat River bridge improvements in Montcalm County 
* I-96 Flex Route update in Oakland County and the next phase of work on I-275 Rebuilding Michigan Project in Wayne County 

Across Michigan, we are fixing the damn roads to save drivers time and money. These investments in Berrien, Cheboygan, Lenawee, Mackinac, Manistee, Mecosta, Montcalm, Oakland, and Wayne counties will support 7,838 jobs, and help Michiganders go to work, run errands, and explore our beautiful state safely.  

Since I took office through the end of 2022, we will have invested 70% more in our roads than the previous four years to fix over 16,000 lane miles of road and 1,200 bridges, supporting nearly 89,000 jobs. Both my Rebuilding Michigan Plan and the bipartisan Building Michigan Together Plan are helping us build safe, reliable infrastructure that makes a difference for families and small business across the state. I’m proud of what we have accomplished, so let’s keep moving dirt and getting it done. 






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*In Other News*

*Governor Whitmer Signs Bill Lowering Cost for Veteran License Plates and Other Legislation [ [link removed] ]*

*Whitmer Hosts Roundtable with Parents on Bipartisan Education Budget [ [link removed] ]*

*Michiganders to Receive Additional Assistance in June to Lower the Cost of Groceries [ [link removed] ]*






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