State Rep. Rodney Wakeman, of Saginaw Township, today cosponsored a plan to restore funding for the Pure Michigan campaign, saying allowing the program to end would harm the entire state’s tourism industry.

The plan would provide $37.5 million to fully restore funding that was vetoed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer as the new state budget year began Oct. 1.

“The Pure Michigan campaign is much more than Tim Allen voice-over commercials and billboards along I-75,” Wakeman said. “It’s an investment that extends much further than Michigan workers and businesses. It’s an investment in our state.”

Established in 2008, Wakeman said the Pure Michigan advertising campaign has greatly benefited the city of Frankenmuth – yielding an impressive return on investment statewide. In 2018 alone, tourism generated $2.8 billion in state and local tax revenue. Every dollar spent on Pure Michigan yielded a return on investment of $9.

“As a business owner, I would take that ROI in a heartbeat and would do everything I could to not jeopardize its success.  Putting an end to Pure Michigan only squanders a sufficient source of tax income and has the real potential to cause severe damage to hundreds of thousands of Michigan jobs supported by travel tourism – including in Frankenmuth and surrounding communities.”