Gretchen Whitmer Is Failing To Attract Manufacturers To Invest In Michigan – Companies Are Choosing To Do Business Elsewhere
”Gretchen Whitmer has proven time and time again that she is incapable of attracting companies to invest and expand their businesses in the state of Michigan,” said Gustavo Portela, MIGOP Deputy Chief of Staff and Communications Director. “In addition to recently losing jobs to states like Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee, Michigan has now lost jobs to another red state – Indiana – at the hands of Gretchen Whitmer’s failed leadership. Michiganders need a governor who will advocate for industries to stay and grow in our own state, not one who routinely loses economic opportunities to others. This November, we’ll elect a Republican governor to do exactly that, and to bring a prosperous economy back to the Great Lakes state.”
Whitmer Is Failing To Acquire New Manufacturing Opportunities For Michigan
- This week, Stellantis announced that they will be opening up a second electric vehicle battery plant and chose Kokomo, Indiana over two locations in Michigan.
- Detroit News: “The investment would mean Michigan has failed to win any battery plants from the transatlantic automaker’s first round of gigafactory investments.”
- Both Monroe County and Wayne County put in a bid for the factory.
- Stellantis chose Indiana because they provided favorable business incentives.
- Whitmer is sitting on $500 million in cash grants which Republicans in the Legislature set aside to “help seal economic development deals.”
- Earlier this year, Stellantis and LG announced a $4.1 billion investment in Ontario building electric vehicle batteries in Windsor, just across the river from Detroit creating 2,500 Canadian jobs.
- Whitmer secured a smaller $1.7 billion deal with LG which will create a much smaller 1,200 jobs in Holland.
- The Detroit News: “Michigan has missed out on another electric-vehicle battery plant – this time, to its neighbor across the Detroit River.
- Also in 2022, Whitmer traveled to Washington to see Joe Biden to get his help to bring semiconductor manufacturing to Michigan.
- Whitmer asked Biden for help securing semiconductor manufacturing in Michigan
- This comes after Governor Mike DeWine (R-OH) secured a $20 billion deal with Intel to build semiconductor manufacturing plants in the Columbus area.
- Ohio offered Intel pro-business incentives to come to Ohio.
- In 2021, Whitmer skipped out on a presidential visit from Joe Biden when Biden went to Detroit to promote electric vehicle production.
- Whitmer’s excuse for not attending the event with Biden was that she was meeting with Semiconductor industry leaders trying to draw some of their business into Michigan.
- However, according to Michigan Campaign Finance records, Whitmer used that time in California to fundraise for her reelection.
- In 2021, Whitmer failed to place a bid on a Ford Motor Company electric vehicle expansion.
- Ford decided to open up factories in Tennessee and Kentucky, an $11.4 billion investment which created 11,000 jobs between those states.
- The Detroit News Editorial: “Michigan not ready to compete for EV future.”
- Whitmer refused to take responsibility for losing out on Ford’s electric vehicle manufacturing expansion.
Whitmer’s Policies Are Driving Away Businesses
- In November 2021, Whitmer vetoed a bill waiving fined for first-time covid-related workplace violations for businesses.
- In July 2021, Whitmer vetoed a bill ending the federal unemployment benefits supplement which paid some Michiganders more money not to work.
- In March 2021, Whitmer vetoed $652 million in federal covid relief funds for business tax relief.
- In March 2021, Whitmer vetoed tax relief for businesses to purchase PPE.
Michigan’s Manufacturing Economy Has Slowed
- 75,000 manufacturing jobs have been lost since Whitmer became governor.
- Last month, Michigan lost manufacturing jobs.