This is the third in a six-part series outlining Rep. Doug Wozniak’s responses to key issues raised in the governor’s 2026 State of the State address.

State Rep. Doug Wozniak continued his response this week to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s State of the State address, focusing on her comments related to infrastructure improvements, energy, and the future of Selfridge Air National Guard Base.

In her speech, the governor highlighted the historic investment in roads, which was included in last year’s budget agreement, as a major accomplishment of her administration and thanked Speaker Matt Hall for what she called his “collaboration.” Wozniak said the brief acknowledgment failed to reflect the leading role Speaker Hall and House Republicans played.

“We all remember Gretchen Whitmer launching her bid for governor with the slogan ‘Fix the damn roads,’” said Wozniak. “Yet during her two terms in office, she has never produced a realistic plan.”

Wozniak further noted that, year after year, the governor spent all the state’s road funding on state highways while ignoring the crumbling local roads that Michigan families and workers drive every day.

“It was House Republicans who went to the drawing board and developed a long-term funding solution that dedicates $2 billion annually to local and county roads and ensures the taxes paid at the pump go directly toward road improvements.”

“This is truly a historic accomplishment, and I can understand the governor wanting to share in the glory,” Wozniak said. “All I can say is, ‘Governor, you’re welcome.’”

While the governor touted clean energy expansion, stating that Michigan is producing more clean, reliable energy from wind, solar, nuclear, and hydrogen to protect our planet and power everyone’s homes, she failed to address the issues ratepayers are struggling with most: rising utility bills and ongoing concerns about grid reliability.

“Since the Democratic trifecta enacted sweeping green energy mandates in 2023, Michigan families and businesses have seen their monthly gas and electric bills skyrocket without seeing any improvement in energy reliability,” Wozniak said. “We need to repeal these costly mandates and put better policies in place that focus on reliability, affordability, and long-term grid stability.”

Wozniak said House Republicans have also worked with President Donald Trump to keep reliable power plants operating in Michigan so families are not left vulnerable during periods of high demand.

“Michigan families cannot afford higher energy bills or an unreliable grid,” Wozniak said. “That’s why we worked with President Trump to keep critical power plants online and make sure Michigan residents can keep the lights on and the heat running during the coldest months of the year.”

The governor also highlighted the effort to secure a new fighter mission at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, a major economic and national security asset in Macomb County.

After the U.S. Air Force announced plans to retire the A-10 aircraft stationed at Selfridge, House Republicans worked with federal and state partners to position the base for a new mission, securing funding for critical infrastructure upgrades needed to keep Selfridge competitive.

In April 2025, President Donald Trump announced that Selfridge would receive 21 new F-15EX fighter aircraft to replace the outgoing A-10 fleet, along with previously announced KC-46A refueling tankers.

“Selfridge is a cornerstone of our community and a vital part of our national defense,” Wozniak said. “House Republicans worked with President Trump and partners at every level to secure this new fighter mission, protecting thousands of local jobs and strengthening America’s air defenses.”