It’s time to restore common sense to the governor’s office

It’s the classic question often asked at election time: Are you better off now than you were four years ago? Under Gretchen Whitmer as governor, the answer here in Michigan is a resounding "No!" I’m running for governor because it’s time to restore a little common sense to Lansing.

Our economy is lagging behind other states, violent crime is out of control, our education system is failing our children, and our roads haven’t been fixed. As a candidate in 2018, Whitmer promised to address all these problems, and now that things have gotten worse, is asking to be rehired. There is a better way, and on Election Day we have a chance to choose a better path.

Even when taking into account the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Michigan is still trailing other states, and in some cases, is among the worst in the nation. No state had more small businesses close down this past summer than Michigan. We are still more than 80,000 jobs shy of where we were pre-pandemic, and we are worse than most other states in unemployment, job growth, and inflation.

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Whitmer has vetoed tax cuts for small businesses and stood in the way of tax relief for individuals. And she broke an emphatic promise by trying to triple the gas tax to 45 cents per gallon.

When I’m governor, we will begin a phase-out of the state income tax like nine other states, so that families have more control over their own finances and entrepreneurs can plow money back into their businesses to create jobs. 

We will improve workforce training and expose more students to high-demand skilled trades, where there are high-paying career opportunities. And we will unleash entrepreneurs, unlock economic growth, and attract new businesses and talent to Michigan by eliminating 40 percent of Michigan’s burdensome regulations.

No society can function properly if communities are not safe. Under Whitmer, violent crime has skyrocketed statewide, while she has endorsed the goals of the "Defund the Police" movement, which would hurt people who live in neighborhoods that need law enforcement the most. She vetoed funding for the State Police and made tracking sex offenders and parolees more difficult.

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In a Dixon administration, we’ll recruit and train thousands of new police officers, emergency personnel, state troopers, and local and state corrections officers. We will combat sex crimes by enhancing penalties for predators and providing better support for victims. We will fight illegal immigration by banning sanctuary cities and keep cash bail in place so that violent criminals and repeat offenders are not released into our neighborhoods to terrorize citizens again.

Despite Whitmer’s lie in our last debate that our schools were only closed for three months because of COVID-19 lockdowns, parents and kids know differently. Whitmer’s lockdowns were excessive, and as a result, test scores in reading and math fell off a cliff while enrollment and graduation rates also have fallen. Michigan now ranks in the bottom quarter of states for overall education.

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When I’m sworn in as governor, we will repair our failing school system and give parents a greater voice in the education of their children. We’ll return to basics by teaching our nation’s founding principles, our Constitution, and the roles and responsibilities of government. We’ll remove critical race theory from classrooms and stop discussing sex and gender theory with kids in 3rd grade and below. And we will use federal COVID-19 dollars for one-on-one tutoring for every student in the state.

And you may remember that Whitmer ran for governor in 2018 with the slogan "Fix the Damn Roads." But like many Michiganders, I’ve suffered blowouts and cracked wheels because of the condition of our roads, so I join those who attest that the roads haven’t been repaired. Putting a few orange construction barrels out at election time doesn’t explain why infrastructure hasn’t been prioritized despite a state budget that’s grown from less than $60 billion to almost $80 billion.

Whitmer has had her chance, she’s made a mess of the state, and is now asking for a four-year contract extension. On November 8, the voters of Michigan have a chance to give her a performance review and deny her application for another term. In the interest of common sense, I hope that’s what Michiganders will do.

 I’m Tudor Dixon, candidate for governor, and I am humbly asking for your vote on Tuesday.