FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 14, 2022

Contact: [email protected]

Gov. Whitmer Announces Michiganders to Receive Additional Assistance in June to Lower the Cost of Groceries

LANSING, Mich. – Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced all Michigan families who are eligible for food assistance benefits will continue to receive at least an additional $95 monthly payment in June to help lower the cost of groceries and ensure Michiganders can keep more of their hard-earned money. The additional assistance will help approximately 1.36 million Michiganders in more than 700,000 households.

“Michiganders will continue to be able to put food on the table thanks to our ongoing partnership with the federal government. In addition to helping Michigan families lower their out-of-pocket food costs, this collaboration has helped us continue to grow our economy by returning federal dollars to Michigan,” said Governor Whitmer. “I know Michiganders need real relief right now, which is why I have put forward proposals to send a $500 rebate from our additional revenue back to working families and suspend the sales tax on gas to lower prices at the pump. I will work with anyone to lower costs for Michiganders and get things done that make a real difference in their lives.”

In April 2020, some Michigan residents began receiving additional food assistance under this program. In May 2021, all eligible households began getting extra monthly benefits. Federal approval is necessary every month.

Eligible clients who receive food assistance are seeing additional benefits on their Bridge Card from June 11-20. These benefits will be loaded onto Bridge Cards as a separate payment from the assistance provided earlier in the month.

All households eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) receive an increase of at least $95 monthly, even if they are already receiving the maximum payment or are close to that amount. Households that received more than $95 to bring them to the maximum payment for their group size will continue to receive that larger amount.

Secured by U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow as Chairwoman of the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee, the federal government is providing additional funding to states for food assistance under House Resolution 6201, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.

Eligible families do not need to re-apply to receive the additional benefits. People who receive food assistance can check their benefits balance on their Michigan Bridge Card by going online to www.michigan.gov/MIBridges or calling a consumer service representative toll-free at 888-678-8914. They can ask questions about the additional benefits by calling or emailing their caseworker.

Customer service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Spanish and Arabic service is available. If you are deaf, deafblind, or hard of hearing or speech-impaired, call the Michigan Relay Center at 7-1-1.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 13, 2022

Contact: [email protected]

PHOTOS: Lt. Governor Gilchrist Tours Rebuilding Michigan Project in Flint

FLINT, Mich.– Today, Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist II provided an update on ongoing infrastructure construction projects as the administration makes the largest investment in state roads and bridges in Michigan’s history. Lt. Governor Gilchrist inspected progress made on the Rebuilding Michigan project at the I-69 and I-475 interchange in Flint. This project is one of over 20 Rebuilding Michigan projects that invest a historic $3.5 Billion into Michigan’s Infrastructure – without raising taxes.

“Both the 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 businesses across the state,” said Lt. Governor Gilchrist. “Throughout Michigan, we are rebuilding roads and bridges using the right mix of materials to ensure that our roads are safe, create good-paying jobs, and support local economies and small businesses. By the end of this year, we will have fixed over 16,000 lane miles of road and 1,200 bridges, directly supporting nearly 89,000 jobs.”

Project Profile: Southbound I-475 and Westbound I-69 in Genesee County

The southbound I-475 ramp at Court Street and westbound I-69 reconstruction project are a part of the $100 million investment to rebuild over 2 miles of I-69, along with various work at the I-69/I-475 interchange. This project will improve ride quality and safety while supporting a vital commercial route. Based on economic modeling, this investment is expected to, directly and indirectly, support 1,270 jobs.

Historic Infrastructure Investments

Governor Whitmer and Lt. Governor Gilchrist will have repaired 16,000 lane miles of road and over 900 bridges by the end of the year, sustaining almost 89,000 jobs without raising taxes. The Rebuilding Michigan plan, a 5-year, $3.5 billion investment in our highways and bridges without raising gas prices, and the bipartisan Building Michigan Together Plan, the greatest one-time investment in Michigan’s infrastructure in state history, has made these and future repairs possible. These strategic investments in Michigan’s critical infrastructure ensure future Michiganders will have safe roadways and bridges to run errands, travel, and build a stronger economy.

Learn more about the Whitmer-Gilchrist Administration’s historic infrastructure investments by clicking on the following link: Infrastructure Accomplishments.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 13, 2022

Contact: [email protected]

Governor Whitmer Announces Business Expansions Bringing 68 Good-Paying Jobs, New Investments to Cadillac and Fenton

LANSING, Mich. – Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer joined the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) to announce two business expansion projects expected to create 68 new jobs and generate a total private investment of $7.7 million in the cities of Cadillac and Fenton have received support from the Michigan Strategic Fund.

“Today’s investments by American Recreational Products and Rexair will create a combined 68 good-paying jobs for Michiganders as we continue growing Michigan’s economy and investing in every region of the state,” said Governor Whitmer. “With jobs growing every day, unemployment decreasing at a record rate, strong small business growth, and rising wages, our economy is on the move. I will stay focused on the fundamentals that matter most to working families and communities while ensuring Michigan leads the way in key industries like manufacturing. Our state is competing more aggressively than ever before to bring more jobs and investment to Michigan to grow our economy even further.”

“The decisions by American Recreational Products and Rexair to expand in Michigan highlight the enduring strength of Michigan’s value proposition: talented workforce, diverse industries and the business environment focused on long-term economic growth,” said Quentin L. Messer, Jr., CEO of MEDC and President and Chair of the MSF Board. “These projects are representative of our holistic, people-first approach to economic development that rewards risk-takers while further securing Michigan’s leadership in the industries that will propel our economy into the future and benefit more Michiganders.”

American Recreational Products is a subsidiary of Northern Composites, a manufacturer of composites and plastics for John Deere, Navistar, Crest Marine, Avalon Pontoons and more. The company has three locations in Michigan and employs more than 150 residents.

American Recreational Products’ facility in Owosso has reached its capacity with no options to expand. The company has identified an existing facility in the city of Fenton that can accommodate its existing business as well as a new fiberglass product line.

The project is expected to generate a total capital investment of $4 million and create 59 jobs, supported by a $250,000 Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant. Michigan was chosen for the project over competing sites in Minnesota and Missouri.

The project will bring good manufacturing jobs to the area and will further cement the company’s presence in Michigan. American Recreational Products supports personal growth of its employees and takes pride in promoting from within. The company employs many veterans and uses local schools to reach talent in disadvantaged areas and underrepresented employees.

The city of Fenton anticipates approval of a five-year Industrial Facilities Tax Abatement in support of the project. Individuals interested in careers with American Recreational Products should visit https://nationalcomposites.com/careers/.

“National Composites is very excited to expand into the great city of Fenton. The opening of American Recreational Products will be a great new step for our company,” said National Composites Chief Executive Officer Adam Fenton.  “It allows us to have a more targeted focus on the production of our proprietary boat lines, Paddle Wheeler and BOKA Marine, as well as open up more capacity and job creation opportunities at our other Michigan facilities.”

Rexair, founded in 1936, is a leading direct seller and manufacturer of premium vacuum cleaning systems for residential customers. The company’s principal product, the Rainbow® vacuum cleaner, is sold in countries around the globe through a network of third-party distributors. Rexair is headquartered in Troy and currently employs 228 people in Michigan.

Due to supply chain overseas, the company is bringing manufacturing of certain products back home to Michigan. Rexair plans to expand at its facility in the city of Cadillac, where it will install nine new injection molding machines. The project is expected to generate a total capital investment of $3.35 million and create nine jobs, supported by a $48,000 Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant. Michigan was chosen for the project over a competing site in Kentucky.

“Rexair is excited to be working with MEDC and the city of Cadillac in our combined efforts to grow Michigan’s economy and employment opportunities,” said Rexair Environmental Health and Safety Administrator Jeff Nerem. “This is truly a team effort to invest in all our futures.”

The project will bring nine new jobs and retain eight jobs by onshoring a production line from China. In addition, the project will establish the company’s presence and future investment in Michigan. Rexair is focused on environmentally responsible manufacturing, and the new machines will decrease their power consumption by as much as 60 percent.

The city of Cadillac plans to support company by aiding with permitting or other requirements. For information on careers with Rexair, visit https://rainbowsystem.com/opportunities/request-information/.

“I am thrilled to learn about Rexair’s continued commitment to reinvest in their city of Cadillac, Michigan facility, and it is truly wonderful to see the impact of the collaborative efforts between the MEDC and the City result in such a positive outcome,” said Cadillac City Manager Marcus A. Peccia. “The creation of new positions coupled with nearly $1.4 million in capital investment will lead to more local sustainability for the Rexair facility, additional employment opportunities, and is another great example of viability of Cadillac as the place for economic development activities. A sincere thank you to both Rexair and the MEDC for making this investment in the city of Cadillac.”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

June 10, 2022

Contact: [email protected]

Gov. Whitmer to Sign Bill Funding Security Plans at All Michigan Schools to Protect Students, Funds Mental Health Support & Enhanced Security for Oxford

LANSING, Mich. – Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer will sign House Bill 6012, a bipartisan bill that makes an historic investment in school safety by fully funding risk assessments and critical incidence mapping to help protect students and create safety plans in the event of an emergency. The legislation also fully funds resources to hire and retain mental health professionals, enhance security measures, and provide additional learning opportunities for Oxford Community Schools.

“I am proud to sign this bill to help keep students safe. This bill represents a true collaboration between the legislature, my office, community members, and school leadership to make sure our schools have the tools they need to protect students in cases of school shootings or other critical incidents,” said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. “Today we are also proud to deliver necessary resources to Oxford Community Schools so they can hire more mental health staff and offer additional learning time to their students as they recover from the horrific shooting last year. I know we can continue working together to make sure we are supporting our students, including improving public safety measures to keep violent criminals out of our schools and off our streets, funding effective law enforcement solutions, and storing firearms safely. Let’s get it done.”

“We carefully listened to the needs expressed by Oxford and worked with them to provide the tools they need to recover from the lasting impact of the tragedy that students, staff and the building itself withstood,” said State Reprepresentative Hornberger (R-Chesterfield), a former public school teacher. “This funding plan will help obtain and retain mental health professionals necessary to help with trauma response, help cover legal and public relations costs, provide enhanced security features, cover costs for damage to school property during the shooting, and more.”

“I am proud to have advocated on behalf of the students, staff, faculty, and Oxford community as a whole in getting this funding across the finish line,” said State Senator Rosemary Bayer (D-Beverly Hills), whose district includes Oxford. “While I will remain committed to preventing more tragedies by enacting gun violence prevention policies, this funding for school security, mental health support, and more is a start to working on the immediate needs of the Oxford community, and for that, I am grateful to my colleagues and the governor for their support.”

“This new law provides needed funding for Oxford schools, as well as important funding for risk assessments and critical incidence mapping,” said State Superintendent Dr. Michael Rice. “That said, we still have more work in front of us: the need for the legislature to support the governor’s FY 23 budget request of a $361 million increase in children’s mental health and $51 million for school safety grants; and the need for greater gun safety, including a red flag law and other measures to reduce the likelihood that guns will fall into the hands of those who are dangerous to themselves or others.”

“The passage of House Bill 6012 marks a significant milestone for the Oxford school community,” said Oakland Schools Superintendent Dr. Wanda Cook-Robinson. “Our children, parents, and educators have been impacted by trauma. While there is a long road ahead, we are comforted by the support we have received from the Michigan Legislature. This funding will help the Oxford school community obtain the tools necessary to recover from the lasting impact of the tragedy faced by students and staff.”

House Bill 6012

The bipartisan legislation will go a long way towards keeping our students safe. First, it would help schools implement risk assessments to comprehensively identify the current status of their campus safety and determine where further investments are needed. Second, it would help schools complete critical incidence mapping for their campuses, ensuring that emergency plans and protocols are effective and in-place. The legislation includes a total of $14 million that will be awarded to all schools, including traditional public, intermediate school districts, and private schools, for $2,000 grants to complete a comprehensive safety and security assessment. The grants will be administered by the Department of Education. Third, the bill directly invests in Oxford Community Schools to help them recover from the shooting late last year. It will help them hire mental health professionals, enhance security, and offering additional learning time to students lost in the wake of the tragedy.

House Bill 6012 was sponsored by Rep. Pamela Hornberger, R–Chesterfield, and a copy can be found here.