State Rep. Timmy Beson, of Bay City, today expressed concern that some proposed initiatives within Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s State of the State address will create further affordability concerns for people, instead of easing the stress on their budgets.

On Wednesday night, Whitmer laid out plans for two years of free community college for all high school graduates, $1.4 billion in housing earmarks, additional green energy incentives and other costly, big government ventures. These plans come on the heels of a state budget for the current fiscal year that spent over $80 billion.

“We saw record-high state spending for the current fiscal year, and the governor has doubled down on big spending with more plans that are going to cost hardworking people and small business owners more in taxes to help pay for them,” said Beson, who serves on the House Appropriations Committee. “States that Michigan is competing with for jobs and residents have lower taxes and less government in the way. We’re actively working against that model here, and it’s only going to drive people away and make our state less attractive.”

Beson said that with a current 54-54 split in the Legislature, the time is now to come together on bipartisan plans that can move Michigan forward. This includes lowering taxes to let people keep more of what they earn, dedicating funding to local infrastructure, shoring up student performance through stronger education standards instead of weakening them, and reforming a beleaguered Unemployment Insurance Agency that has let down individuals seeking benefits they were owed and squandered billions of dollars through fraud.

“These are priorities I hear about constantly,” Beson said. “Lower taxes, good local roads and schools, and government processes that people can trust and work for them when they need them to. That’s the key to putting our state on solid footing, and proposals I am going to continue to push for in the Legislature.”