Wednesday, January 24, 2018

Contact:
Holly Wetzel
248-303-0799
wetzel@mackinac.org

In his final State of the State address, Gov. Rick Snyder reflected on his achievements over the past seven years. According to the Mackinac Center’s Senior Director of Fiscal Policy, Michael D. LaFaive, Gov. Snyder proposed five types of government expansions and no limitations. LaFaive has tallied the expansions and limitations in the State of the State addresses for the past five administrations.

Gov. Snyder used the occasion to reflect on accomplishments over his terms and briefly sketched out a vision for his final year. As with previous State of the State addresses, Gov. Snyder announced that he would provide further details about his policy proposals in later statements.

“Gov. Snyder talked a lot about past accomplishments tonight, and he deserves to take a few victory laps on a number of particular policy issues,” said LaFaive.

Over his entire administration, he has called for fewer limitations on state government than his previous four predecessors.

The Governor’s proposed expansions included things such as increasing per pupil funding for K-12 education and expanding Vocational Village.

“In his last year, the Governor has an opportunity to emphasize policies that rely more on markets than mandates,” said LaFaive. “These types of policies marked his first year in office. They should mark his last.”

Proposed 2018 Expansions

• Additional funding for infrastructure
• Plans to expand Vocational Village
• Proposing the largest increases in the basic per pupil student foundation allowance in the last 15 years
• Calls for creating a better initiative than Clean Michigan and do it without going into debt
• Partnering with other Great Lake States and provinces to invest in Illinois’s Brandon Road Lock

Expansions and Limitations by Administration Since 1969

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