LANSING — Tonight, Gov. Rick Snyder gave his final State of the State address. In response, state Rep. Kristy Pagan (D-Canton) issued the following statement:
“We heard the governor talk about education tonight, but we need action, not just promises. Once again, another education study showed we are underfunding education in Michigan by as much as $2,000 per student. We will never be taken seriously as the comeback state until we fully fund our public schools, support our teachers and remove the profit motive when it comes to educating our children.
“In addition, we were told Michigan’s roads would take priority. Yet Michigan’s crumbling roads are continuing to get worse and worse as we wait until 2021 to see promised improvements under the Republicans’ irresponsible and ill-advised road funding plan. In the meantime, Michigan residents are left paying hefty prices at the gas pump and higher car registration fees. We must act swiftly to address our failing infrastructure needs or the cost of repair and maintenance will continue to go in one direction — up.
“And finally, the outpouring of sexual harassment and assault allegations have been deeply troubling. I wore black this evening in solidarity with the brave individuals who have shared their stories through the Time’s Up and #MeToo movements, along with the survivors who continue to speak out against the disgraceful Larry Nassar. We must come together to address this issue and ensure that survivors have access to the resources that they need to heal.”