State Rep. Gina Johnsen, R-Portland, on Wednesday released the following statement regarding Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s State of the State address. Whitmer touted the state’s finances as a success, yet residents face increased grocery and energy costs, among other normal expenses. The governor’s recent budget recommendations included a $1 billion increase in spending over last year. She’s also floated new taxes to fund her roads plan.

“Only our governor could claim our state’s ‘financial house is in order’ while simultaneously admitting that families are struggling with inflation. The governor proudly stated that we have $2.7 billion in our rainy-day funds. Yet, the public can barely afford a weekly grocery trip.

“To me, there’s nothing fiscally secure about young parents having to choose between their own health and diapers for their kids. How can we expect people to be able to afford healthy food if they can’t even afford their energy bills?

“House Republicans want to shrink our state budget and put tax dollars back where they belong: in the pockets of the people who earned it. If the governor truly cares about the financial health of our state, she’ll partner with us to ensure residents are just as financially sound as state government.”

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