Housing is problem, but local preemption is not the cure, MAC says in response to Whitmer’s final State of the State address
Michigan counties share Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s goal of making housing more affordable in the state, but her proposed methods are troubling, said MAC’s top advocacy staffer after the governor’s 2026 State of the State address.
“We’ve long heard about housing issues from our members,” said Deena Bosworth, director of governmental affairs. “However, state intervention in local government authority is not the prescription for this ailment.”
In her speech, the eighth and last for her as governor, Whitmer proposes to:
- Establish a new, state-level affordable housing tax credit: incentivize construction of thousands more homes every year for middle- and working-class Michiganders so they can live near where they work, start or raise their families, and build wealth.
- Demolish nonsensical construction requirements: get rid of burdensome regulations that get in the way of people using their own property how they see fit, raise construction costs, and slow down projects. This includes making it easier to build in-law suites and duplexes and modernizing lot sizes, setback rules, and parking requirements.
- Streamline zoning: make it easier to build more homes of all kinds, especially in our cities where young Americans most want to live and work. Incentivize development of exciting, safe, and affordable main streets and downtowns.
“Maintaining local control is a fundamental goal of MAC’s work in Lansing,” Bosworth added. “Counties are ready to work with the governor and Legislature on policies that create incentives and partnerships for housing, but we must respectfully oppose encroachment on local prerogatives,” Bosworth added.
Whitmer did not touch on any of MAC’s state policy priorities for 2026:
- Create a Fair Revenue Sharing System for Counties
- Defend County Revenue from Poorly Designed Property Tax Changes
- Enact State Reimbursement for Veterans Property Tax Exemptions
- Restore Gaps the State Created in Veteran Service Grants
- Properly Fund Michigan’s Courts by Extending the Sunset to Collect Costs
- Develop a Comprehensive State/County Partnership on Tourism
For more information about MAC’s advocacy work, click here.
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Part of the large delegation of commissioners and other county leaders from Michigan pose with U.S. Sen. Gary Peters following a special briefing arranged by MAC on Capitol HIll this week. |
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President Antoinette Wallace presents a certificate of appreciation to U.S. Sen. Gary Peters for his decades of public service in Michigan during a special MAC event on Capitol Hill this week. |
Congressman John Moolenaar (red tie) hosted representatives of MAC and the Michigan County Medical Care Facilities Council at his Capitol Hill offices this week during the 2026 NACo Legislative Conference. |
Immediate Past President Melissa Daub and Executive Director Stephan Currie enjoy some of the festivities at the 2026 NACo Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C. |
MAC delegation meets with members of Congress during 2026 NACo Legislative Conference
MAC President Antoinette Wallace and other board members led a Michigan delegation of more than 40 county commissioners to Washington, D.C., this month to the 2026 National Association of Counties’ Legislative Conference.
As usual, Michigan’s two U.S. senators, Gary Peters and Elissa Slotkin, briefed commissioners on federal challenges in a special session set up by MAC. MAC also facilitated one-on-one visits with Congressman John Moolenaar and Jack Bergman in their Capitol Hill offices. Topics discussed include increased mental health funding to counties, the need for federal legislation to reform the Medicaid Inmate Exclusion Policy, housing shortages and the recently introduced BASICS Act.
Both representatives and senators also shared that the Congressionally Directed Spending application process opens next week. If your county is interested in applying for federal funding, MAC recommends applying to your representative’s office.
For more information on this process, see links below from Sen. Peters’ office:
- FY2027 Sen. Peters Appropriations Handbook
- FY2027 Programmatic Request Form
- FY2027 CDS Request Form
- Deadline: March 27
- Please direct questions to appropriations@peters.senate.gov.
Podcast 83: NACo prescription program can aid county employees, residents alike
In a special episode of Podcast 83, host Stephan Currie talks with the National Association of Counties (NACo) about a health benefit that can aid county employees and residents alike.
Jamara Green, assistant for special projects for NACo, detailed the benefits of NACo’s Live Healthy program, which provides prescription savings in partnership with CVS.
“It is offered exclusively to NACO member counties,” Green noted. “Of those counties, the residents utilize the program. So, using the program is really easy.
“Once your county is enrolled in the program, residents can visit our site, nacorx.org, enter their county name and download either a print or digital version of that prescription discount card.
“You’ll visit your local pharmacy, and your pharmacist will apply between 40 percent to 80 percent in savings.”
“You mentioned it’s a partnership with CVS, correct?” Currie asked, “Does that mean you have to only use it at CVS pharmacies, or … can the card be used at any pharmacy?”
“It can be used at any pharmacy,” Green replied. “CVS has been a partner of ours for more than 15 years. They do provide some flexibility, so, a lot of residents visit their local CVS, their local Walgreens, but they also visit the smaller, more independent, pharmacies, too.”
“Anyone in the county can use, or is it county employees only, or is it any residents in the counties?” Currie asked.
“Any resident in the county,” Green stated. “The only thing that we ask is that your county is a NACO member, and once the county has checked that box off, any resident within your county’s jurisdiction can use the program. … We don’t have any income limits, any age restrictions and no enrollment process for the residents. The program was designed for uninsured and underinsured residents.”
Green added that counties themselves can benefit through the program’s use, too.
“Those (counties that also endorse the program) receive a dollar for every prescription filed within their county jurisdiction,” she said. “So, if you have 100 prescriptions using the Live Healthy prescription card in the month of March, then CVS will write you a check for $100 in March.”
To see if your county is a member of NACo, click here. For information on joining NACo, visit their website.
For more details, watch the full episode, recorded on Feb. 11, by clicking here or on the image above.
Kelly joins MAC’s opioid settlement advisory work
Dan Kelly has joined MAC in a new role of technical assistance specialist, opioid settlement funds. He started on Feb. 23.
“We are excited to expand our technical assistance supports for opioid settlement planning and implementation,” said Amy Dolinky, technical adviser, opioid settlement funds planning and capacity building. “With the addition of Dan, our team is even better positioned to provide timely guidance to counties working to save lives and support those impacted by the drug overdose crisis.”
Prior to joining MAC, Kelly served as executive director of the Shelter Association of Washtenaw County from 2017-2025. Previously, he was executive director of Spero Housing Group, an affordable housing development corporation, and housing director of South Oakland Shelter. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Michigan Coalition Against Homelessness.
Kelly holds a master’s degree in social work from the University of Michigan and a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from Michigan State University.
He can be reached at kelly@micounties.org.
Staff picks
- How the 2025 transportation funding package accidentally cut road funding in FY2026 (Citizens Research Council of Michigan)
- New MPPS Policy Brief: Challenges to Michigan local government budgeting (Center for Local, State and Urban Policy, University of Michigan)
- Fiscal Brief: Traffic Citation Revenue (Michigan House Fiscal Agency)
- The 5 most unusual morning routines of U.S. presidents (Mental Floss)