Whitmer pens letter to Michigan: We can get this done, together | Opinion

Over the past year, Michiganders families, frontline workers, and small business owners have made incredible sacrifices to protect their communities from COVID-19, a virus that has ravaged our state and taken the lives of 14,411 people. Confronted with multiple crises — a global pandemic, a 500-year flooding event, and more — we joined forces and took action together.

Now, as we distribute the safe and effective COVID vaccine, we must join forces again to fix the damn road ahead. That means working together to grow our economy and get families and businesses back on their feet. It means helping our students and educators get back on track. And, of course, it means ending the COVID-19 pandemic once and for all. None of us can do this alone. We must work together to find common ground and rebuild our state.

More:Watch replay: Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's State of the State address 2021

More:Fact check: Gov. Whitmer's State of the State address

The health of our economy is inextricably linked with the health of our people. Effectively rebuilding our economy this year requires that we protect public health, and that hurdle is cleared easier and quicker when we work together. This month, I announced the MI COVID Recovery Plan, focused on vaccine distribution, getting our kids back in school safely, providing support for small businesses, and jumpstarting our economy.

The MI COVID Recovery Plan will allocate $90 million in federal funding to ramp up vaccine distribution in Michigan, bring us closer to our goal of 50,000 shots in arms per day, and help us end the pandemic once and for all. My plan will also provide crucial support for Michigan businesses, workers, educators, and students. I am ready to work with Republicans in the legislature and hear their ideas for how we can get this done to help everyone in Michigan move forward.

During my State of the State Address on Wednesday, I announced a number of initiatives to grow our economy and provide crucial support for Michiganders, including Michigan Back to Work: my plan to help us grow our economy and support our families. We will leverage all of the resources of state government to rebuild our economy back better, harnessing every economic tool at our disposal and working with leaders in state government, business, and beyond to create an environment where entrepreneurs can create more good-paying jobs for all Michiganders.

More:GOP's Shirkey: Whitmer 'looked delightful' but lacked content in State of State address

More:Hartland man pleads guilty in Whitmer kidnap plot, agrees to 'fully cooperate'

Over the next year, my administration will announce initiatives and projects big and small — from tech, mobility and manufacturing growth, to clean energy and road construction. This will protect, grow, and create more good paying jobs.

If we want to get our state back on track, we must provide our students and educators the support they need.

On Wednesday, I announced the MI Classroom Heroes Grants of up to $500 each for teachers and support staff. These grants will help offset some expenses and the extraordinary efforts Michigan’s educators have made throughout the pandemic. And the MI COVID Recovery Plan will allocate federal funding, along with an additional $300 million in state dollars, to help schools meet our goal of providing every student with an in-person learning opportunity by March 1, and to help address the learning loss that has occurred due to the pandemic. 

A strong economy requires strong, safe infrastructure. Last year, I announced the Rebuilding Michigan Bonding Plan to create and sustain tens of thousands of jobs and start fixing the damn roads with the right materials and mix, and without an increase at the pump. This plan will support thousands of good-paying union construction jobs. The pandemic didn’t stop us from moving dirt. In Lansing, we completed the I-496 Rebuilding Michigan project in November, with 122 more projects on the horizon.

Including heavily traveled sections of I-96 in Oakland County, I-69 in Calhoun County and I-94 in Berrien County. And in my State of the State address on Wednesday, I urged the Michigan legislature to work with me to provide local communities more options to fix local roads and bridges. Every Michigander deserves to drive on our roads safely, without blowing a tire or cracking a windshield. And building safe roads means that we can attract more business investments and talent to our state. It’s the right thing to do to jumpstart our economy and keep Michiganders safe on our roads.

More:House GOP plan threatens to withhold school funds — unless Whitmer gives up pandemic power

More:Whitmer pledges vaccine rollout improvements, but state remains dependent on feds

Last year, we took real bipartisan action to get things done for Michigan families. I signed two balanced, bipartisan budgets that prioritized public schools, public safety, and public health. We worked together to create the bipartisan Michigan Reconnect Program, offering tuition-free job training and community college for adults looking to earn a postsecondary certificate or associate degree.

And I signed historic, bipartisan Clean Slate Legislation making our criminal justice system more fair. This year, I am ready to harness that bipartisan spirit once again to grow our economy. We don't have time for partisan games. the people of MI are expecting us to work across the aisle to get things done for our families and small businesses.

Michiganders are strong. We have grit. When we get knocked down, we know how to dust ourselves off and pull each other back up. That’s exactly what we must do as we emerge from this pandemic. For the past year, our families, frontline workers, and small business owners have done their part and made incredible sacrifices to protect each other, and they deserve support from their leaders. I have a plan to help get people across the state back on their feet, and I need the legislature to help me get it done.

Let’s channel the bipartisan action we took in 2020, and let’s get it done.

Gretchen Whitmer is the governor of Michigan.