Steelcase Foundation Response to Gov. Whitmer’s Final State of the State Address

LANSING, Mich. — Following Gov. Whitmer’s 2026 State of the State address, Steelcase Foundation President Dr. Daniel Williams has issued the following statement:

“We appreciate Governor Whitmer’s continued focus on literacy, economic stability, and strengthening Michigan’s future. The progress made in recent years, including investments in public education, tax relief for working families, and expanded support for child care, reflects meaningful steps toward ensuring more Michiganders can succeed. That leadership has helped position families as central to Michigan’s long-term prosperity.

“However, across our state, families continue to face rising costs for housing, child care, health care, and other essentials that outpace wages. Caregivers remain underpaid and undervalued, and many working parents are navigating systems that were not designed with the realities facing families today in mind. At this time of economic uncertainty, ensuring stability for families is not a peripheral issue. Work should provide stability; this is the foundation for a resilient economy.

“As a member of Michigan’s philanthropic community, our work has shown us that there is an increasing need to align policy solutions around the belief that working families deserve dignity, stability, and real opportunity. We encourage policymakers and elected leaders to join in that commitment by advancing a coordinated, family-centered agenda: one that makes Michigan more affordable, strengthens the care economy, ensures work truly pays in accordance with today’s economic realities, aligns budget priorities with shared prosperity, and protects public schools as the backbone of opportunity.

“As Governor Whitmer works alongside the legislature this final year of her term, we encourage all policy leaders to consider leading with a families first approach in mind. By working together across sectors, we can build a Michigan where every family has the support they need to thrive.”

Michigan HomeCare & Hospice Response to Gov. Whitmer’s Final State of the State

LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan HomeCare & Hospice Association (MHHA) has issued the following statement in response to Gov. Whitmer’s final State of the State address. The following statement can be attributed to MHHA President and CEO Laura Haynes:

“The Michigan HomeCare & Hospice Association appreciates Governor Whitmer’s continued focus on strengthening Michigan’s health care system and supporting residents across the state as she enters her final year as governor. As policymakers turn from vision to budget negotiations, we urge lawmakers to confront one of the most pressing challenges facing our health care infrastructure: the structural Medicaid funding gap.

“Medicaid provides coverage to more than 2.6 million Michiganders and is the backbone of care for seniors, people with disabilities, and medically complex patients who depend on home- and community-based services. Given the changes to Medicaid at the federal level, MHHA appreciates the governor’s executive recommendation to stabilize Medicaid funding and her recognition that federal changes put millions of Michiganders and vulnerable providers at risk. Ensuring that this investment fully addresses the structural Medicaid funding gap for home- and community-based providers will be critical to protecting access to care.

“Home health and hospice providers are already operating amid workforce shortages, rising labor costs, and increasing demand for services. When Medicaid reimbursement fails to keep pace with need, access suffers. Patients face longer wait times, reduced service availability, or avoidable hospitalizations, outcomes that ultimately increase costs elsewhere in the system. Investing in home-based care is not only the right thing to do for patients; it is one of the most cost-effective components of Michigan’s health care continuum.

“As the legislature and governor proceed in setting the policy goals for the remainder of 2026, MHHA calls on lawmakers to fully close the Medicaid funding gap, protect reimbursement rates that sustain access to care at home, and prioritize long-term investments that stabilize the home health workforce. Ensuring patients can receive care safely in their homes whenever medically appropriate must remain a bipartisan priority in 2026.

“MHHA stands ready to work with the governor and members of the legislature to deliver solutions that provide stable and sustainable support for Michiganders who rely on and work within the home- and community-based services network.”

Early Childhood Investment Corporation Response to Gov. Whitmer’s Final State of the State Address

LANSING, Mich. – The following statement can be attributed to Alicia Guevara, chief executive officer of the Early Childhood Investment Corporation, on Gov. Whitmer’s final State of the State address:

“Under Governor Whitmer’s leadership, Michigan families and young children have seen increased support for early childhood programs and resources. We are heartened by her continued focus on literacy and know how critical investments in the earliest years of life are to ensure the success of these efforts to help every child read. 

“There is no greater investment with a stronger or more proven return than early childhood. The data is continually clear: every dollar spent within the first five years of life not only generates an incredible return on investment of at least seven dollars over time, but also provides families with the strong foundation that they need to ensure lifelong beneficial outcomes emotionally, physically, and economically.

“Governor Whitmer has made prioritizing ‘kitchen table issues’ a pillar of her time in office. You won’t find a more pressing issue facing parents than the start of their parenthood journey and their child’s life. 

“Parents are still facing economic uncertainty, mounting pressure from health care costs and workforce challenges, including a lack of access to reliable, quality child care and early learning. This is not a kitchen table issue left to be addressed in the quiet of our homes. Early childhood is a workforce issue. It’s an educational outcomes issue. It’s an economic issue. It is, simply put, a cross-sector issue in which everyone has a role and responsibility to uphold. 

“We’re grateful for Governor Whitmer’s leadership in the early childhood space throughout her tenure as governor. We look forward to working alongside her and leaders in our legislature to ensure that progress continues in a meaningful way in her final year. Prioritizing investments in the earliest years is one of the smartest and most responsible choices Michigan can make for our state’s long-term economic, educational, and physical health.”

MITA applauds historic road funding progress, but the job is not finished

LANSING, Mich. – The following statement can be attributed to Rob Coppersmith, executive vice president of the Michigan Infrastructure & Transportation Association (MITA), following Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s State of the State address:

“Tonight’s State of the State underscored something Michigan hasn’t seen in decades: real, bipartisan investment in our roads and bridges. We applaud Governor Whitmer and the Legislature for coming together in 2025 to deliver meaningful new funding that is helping communities move projects forward, improve safety for drivers, support thousands of construction jobs, and strengthen the backbone of our economy. For the first time in a generation, Michigan isn’t just talking about fixing the roads – we’re putting real dollars behind that promise.

“But let’s be honest: decades of underinvestment dug a deep hole, and the progress we made last year won’t fill it. If we truly want safe, reliable roads and bridges — smooth rides that don’t wreck suspensions in every corner of the state — we fell short of that goal. What was passed last year was the art of the possible under difficult circumstances. It was a meaningful step forward, but it was not the finish line. This work is far from over.

“We must stay committed to long-term, sustainable infrastructure funding that moves Michigan forward on every front. Every new legislature should be challenged to build on this progress — to replace and maintain our systems on time, strengthen our economy, and deliver the quality of life Michiganders deserve.

“The hole is deep. The job isn’t done. And we can’t afford to pretend it is.”

MEA President praises Gov. Whitmer for focusing on student literacy in State of the State

EAST LANSING — The following can be attributed to Michigan Education Association President Chandra Madafferi in reaction to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s State of the State address, in which the governor made improving student literacy a top priority for her final year of office:

“Exceptional educators equipped with the right training and tools will make a big difference for student literacy — so long as we stay committed over time to a consistent, rigorous approach to this critical work. Whether a student is already an excellent reader or needs additional support, it’s imperative to improve reading skills for all students, no matter where they live.

“MEA appreciates the focus Gov. Whitmer is bringing to this issue, and we are committed to working together to lead on literacy.”