Detroit — Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Republican challenger Tudor Dixon presented conflicting visions for Michigan’s economy at a Friday forum in Detroit, with the incumbent emphasizing population growth and abortion rights and Dixon focusing on reducing taxes and regulations.
Less than three weeks before the Nov. 8 election, Whitmer and Dixon separately addressed the Detroit Economic Club at an hour-long event at the MotorCity Casino. Each candidate made promises about how they would use the next four years if chosen to serve in the state’s highest office.
Whitmer said “reproductive rights” are an economic issue and pledged to organize a panel of stakeholders to develop a long-term strategy for population growth.
“The place to be in North America is the Great Lakes,” Whitmer said when discussing the impacts of climate change.
“The whole world is going to want to come here or take our water,” she added. “We can’t let that happen. But what we can do is have a strategic plan for population growth and the management of our natural resources.”
If elected, Dixon, a political commentator and Norton Shores businesswoman, said she would “immediately” pursue a “responsible reduction” in the state’s 4.25% personal income tax .
“I want to make sure we’re putting as much money back into people’s pockets as possible, especially as we see rising inflation in the country and certainly in the state of Michigan,” said Dixon.
In the face of rising consumer prices, Whitmer detailed his continued support for targeted tax relief for retirees and low-wage workers. The governor also said she supports the suspension of the 6% gasoline sales tax. Michigan’s average gasoline price hit $4.09 a gallon on Friday, up from $3.29 a year ago, according to AAA.
“Because we put our tax house and kept some resources on the balance sheets, we could still do tax breaks,” Whitmer said.
So far, Whitmer and the Republican-led Legislature have failed to agree on a proposed tax cut.
WDIV-TV’s Christy McDonald interviewed the two contestants separately onstage at the Detroit Economic Club event.
Recent figures from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that Michigan lost 81,900 jobs from December 2018 to August 2022 and its overall labor force shrank by about 99,000 people as the state tried to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Whitmer took office in January 2019.
Abortion rights strategy
Whitmer avoided referencing Dixon when answering questions in Detroit, but she did highlight the topic that has become a focal point of the race: abortion rights. If voters approve Proposition 3 on Nov. 8 to enshrine the right to abortion in the state Constitution, Whitmer said she wants to go to Indiana and Ohio — states where the Abortion is strictly limited – and “start stealing” corporate headquarters.
“Go to Purdue and talk to all the women engineers and Ohio State and bring them to Michigan where you can have every right to make your own decisions about your health and your body and great job,” Whitmer said.
Asked about the comment, Dixon told reporters it was “a weird economic plan”.
“I would love to see companies come here because it’s the best place to do business,” the GOP nominee said.
Dixon touted his proposal to cut state regulations by 40% during his eventual four-year term. So far, she has not identified all of the regulations that would be dropped. With safe cities and highly rated schools, Michigan can be “the prosperous state of the Midwest,” Dixon said.
“And there should be no reason why it shouldn’t,” Dixon said. “I keep complaining that people are going to Florida when we have better beaches and no sharks.”
The Detroit Economic Club event came about a week after Whitmer and Dixon argued over pandemic restrictions, abortion, gun control and support for law enforcement during their first televised debate on October 13 in Grand Rapids. The two rivals are due to face off in a second and final debate at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Oakland University.
WXYZ-TV (channel 7) will broadcast the hour-long debate live in the Detroit metro. Elsewhere, Fox affiliates in Grand Rapids (WXMI-TV) and Lansing (WSYM-TV) will also broadcast. The Detroit News will also provide coverage and analysis on detroitnews.com
cmauger@detroitnews.com