Could 2025 bring a major infrastructure investment and a burst of bipartisanship in Lansing? MAC’s Podcast 83 team divines the tea leaves inside of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s 2025 State of the State speech in their newest episode.

“I thought it was her best speech to date,” said Deena Bosworth. “It was a different tone. It … sounded like a leader. … This one, she had reached out across the aisle, talked a ton about bipartisanship and getting things done.”

On getting action on roads:

“Both the governor and (House Speaker Matt Hall) have talked about removing the sales tax on gasoline, devoting that money to roads as part of their plans,” said host Stephan Currie. “Haven't heard much about what happens to those? How do you backfill those dollars? Because the sales tax on gasoline goes to local governments, in the form of constitutional revenue sharing; it goes to schools. … Anytime sales tax gets removed from something, there is an indirect concern on our part because of the statutory revenue side of things. And as we're talking about Revenue Sharing Trust Fund and solidifying those dollars, there is an indirect impact there.

“That's why, I think those road funding discussions and our role in being part of that, not only advocating for increased road funding at the local level, but what happens when that sales tax gets cut? Right?”