LANSING, Mich. (WZMQ) – Michigan House Speaker Matt Hall says Upper Peninsula legislators are ensuring that rural Michigan isn’t left behind in the state budget.
Hall pointed to funding for projects like the planned Marquette airport improvements as examples of what he called “long-overdue” investments.
“Karl Bohnak, Greg Markkanen, and David Prestin fought really hard for the Upper Peninsula,” Hall said. “These guys got things done that had been neglected for a long time.”
The Speaker also defended the Legislature’s role in shifting Michigan’s economic development strategy after the Michigan Economic Development Corporation pulled out of the Gotion battery plant project near Big Rapids. Hall said the state must move away from “risky, one-basket deals” centered on electric vehicles and instead reward companies that create good-paying jobs.
“We need smarter deals,” Hall said. “Instead of handing out billions in cash upfront for projects that fail to create jobs, we should have objective criteria for incentives for companies that create the right number of jobs and pay above-average wages.”
On energy policy, Hall backed legislation to protect recently built natural gas generators in the Upper Peninsula, arguing that Democrats’ push for renewables could hurt reliability.
“It’s impossible to power the U.P. with just wind and solar,” he said. “We should make all these Democrats live in the Upper Peninsula, and maybe they’d think differently.”
Hall also said his caucus is prioritizing local road funding and budget transparency. He credited House Republicans with cutting $800 million in spending and redirecting $2 billion to local infrastructure, including roads in the U.P. that “haven’t been touched in decades.”
“Democrats are addicted to pork,” Hall said. “We cut pork spending by 87% this year and are forcing them to disclose where it’s going. That’s real reform, and it’s going to deliver better value for taxpayers.”
Looking ahead, Hall said his administration is focused on improving education outcomes and expanding broadband and workforce opportunities in the U.P. “We’re working closely with Representatives Markkanen, Prestin, and Bohnak; they’re vocal advocates for the region, and we’re making sure their communities are heard in Lansing,” Hall said.
Full Interview with Michigan House Speaker Matt Hall
Q:
Thank you again for making the time. I wanted to start off with the budget. Many Upper Peninsula communities say they feel left out of the major projects that received funding this year. How is the Legislature working to ensure that rural regions get their fair share?
A:
I think we did a lot. If you look at what Representative Karl Bohnak did for the airport in Marquette, that’s going to be a big deal. There were a number of projects for the Upper Peninsula in this budget. Representative David Prestin had a couple as well, one for a school and a few others.
These guys fought really hard to get things in there for the U.P., projects that had been neglected for a long time. I was happy to help them. I personally took their priorities and fought for them in the room.
Karl, in particular, told me, “You better get me this airport. It’s long overdue.” And I said, “I’ll help you with that.” He’s been very effective, and I appointed him vice chair of the House Economic Competitiveness Committee. We’re working on economic development now, and Karl’s going to be right at the table to make sure we get a good outcome for the Upper Peninsula in the deal we make later this year.
Q:
With the Michigan Economic Development Corporation pulling out of the Gotion battery plant project, what does that decision say about Michigan’s approach to clean energy and the future of economic development?
A:
It’s long overdue that Governor Whitmer canceled this deal. This is another example of the MEDC under Whitmer coming in secretively, without community buy-in, and trying to force a deal. The Big Rapids community said, “No, we don’t want a company affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party here.”
The demand for electric vehicle batteries has gone downhill. That was one of Whitmer’s mistakes with the SOAR program, she put nearly all of our eggs in one basket: electric vehicles. Now, demand has plummeted, especially when the government isn’t propping it up.
In this budget, we eliminated the state’s EV fleet. Why should Michigan taxpayers be paying for expensive vehicles that don’t fit our needs? Try driving an all-electric state vehicle around the U.P., it’s not practical.
We need smarter deals with Republican input and leadership from people like Karl Bohnak. Instead of handing out billions in cash upfront for projects that fail to create jobs, we should have objective criteria, incentives for companies that create a set number of jobs, and pay above-average wages.
One of Whitmer’s worst deals was the Marshall battery plant, $1.8 billion in incentives for jobs paying under $48,000 a year, below the local average. It makes no sense, and it comes at the expense of education, roads, and public safety.
Q:
We’ve also seen legislation moving in your chamber that would change solar siting rules and grant exemptions to natural gas generators in the U.P. The governor has set long-term clean energy goals. Do you see these actions as moving away from those targets?
A:
Yes, and Jenn Hill, when she was in the House, proudly voted for that bill that would eliminate the RICE generators in the U.P. But people tell me it’s impossible to power the U.P. with just wind and solar, those generators are critical. They were just built, and ratepayers spent millions of dollars on them.
Now Democrats want to shut them down immediately with no real solution. That’s why Representatives Prestin, Bohnak, and Markkanen introduced legislation to protect those generators. It passed the House, and we’re still working on it.
It’s tough with the Democrats, they truly believe this stuff, but it’s not feasible. It makes no sense to close down new generators we just invested in. Sometimes I joke that Democrats should have to live in the Upper Peninsula for a while, maybe then they’d think differently about these energy policies.
Q:
We’ve seen growing tension between the House and Senate since the budget passed. Some of the deal’s provisions already seem to be falling apart. How do you plan to maintain productive, bipartisan cooperation through the rest of the year?
A:
It’s tough. Senator Ed McBroom and I talked a lot about avoiding a government shutdown. We wanted schools open, services funded, and state employees back to work. That’s something I’ve been pushing for: getting more state workers back in the office to serve the public.
But Democrats often disappoint when you make deals with them. They don’t want transparency. They don’t want people to know who’s behind these pork projects or what the public benefit is.
That’s why I’ve been pushing our Ethics, Accountability, and Transparency Plan. It forces politicians to disclose projects well in advance so taxpayers know how their money is being spent. Democrats are resisting, even though they agreed to it in the budget.
We cut pork spending by 87% this year, from $1.3 billion last year down to $160 million, and now they’ll have to disclose where it’s going. That’s real reform, and it’s going to deliver better value for taxpayers.
Q:
Another major topic is infrastructure and roads. Earlier this year, a presentation said Michigan needs about $4 billion annually to fill the gaps in road and bridge maintenance. How is current funding being allocated regionally, and have you discussed how to get more money into that pot?
A:
We worked hard in this budget to prioritize local roads, something House Republicans led on. Greg Markkanen and Karl Bohnak told me about roads in the U.P. that haven’t been touched in decades.
We secured $2 billion for local road funding by cutting waste, fraud, and abuse. This is actually a smaller budget than last year. We cut $800 million overall and eliminated 2,000 “ghost employees,” fake government jobs that padded programs.
We redirected that money to roads. There’s still $5 billion more in wasteful spending we could cut, and if Democrats will agree to it, we can put even more toward fixing Michigan’s infrastructure.
Q:
Last week, there was pushback from your caucus over proposed changes to health and sex education standards. What role do you see the Legislature playing? Are you looking to stand with members who say this is about protecting parental rights?
A:
The state superintendent of education is not accountable to the governor and is out of control. We need to make that position accountable to the governor so voters can hold them responsible.
Right now, the superintendent is focused on social issues instead of improving reading and math scores. Education should prepare students for real-life skills and careers. We need more accountability so the department stays focused on what truly matters, student achievement, not political agendas.
Q:
We’ve talked about energy and infrastructure, but broadband and tourism remain big issues for the U.P. There’s also been talk about reviving legislation to regulate short-term rentals. How are you staying in communication with U.P. representatives and Senator McBroom to ensure those regional needs are prioritized?
A:
Representative Greg Markkanen chairs the House Higher Education Subcommittee, and he’s done a great job securing major funding increases for Northern Michigan University, Lake Superior State, and Michigan Tech. I think he got them everything they asked for. Higher ed is key for workforce development and the U.P.’s economy.
Karl Bohnak, as vice chair of the Economic Competitiveness Committee, ensures the U.P. has a voice in economic development discussions. And David Prestin, vice chair of the Energy Committee, plays a critical role in shaping policies for the region’s energy future.
We work very closely with all three of them. They’re vocal advocates for the U.P., and we’re committed to making sure their communities are heard in Lansing.
