Benson Proposes State Tariff Deals and Data Center Pause

Michigan voters will choose a new governor in late November as Gretchen Whitmer leaves office after two terms. Jocelyn Benson, the state secretary since 2019, is the Democratic nominee. She has outlined a plan to use state authority to lower costs and control development in a recent interview with Michigan Public.

Benson says she will negotiate trade agreements between Michigan and Canada to offset federal tariffs. She cites Maine, which negotiated an exemption for rock salt, as a model. Her goal is to secure carve-outs for goods moving between the two jurisdictions. She argues these deals will protect jobs and lower prices for residents who are currently facing higher costs from federal trade policy.

On energy and development, Benson has called for a moratorium on data center construction. She says the pause will last until the state establishes guardrails for water usage and energy costs. She also proposes a state portal where residents can review proposed data centers. She claims her Republican opponent voted four times against giving local communities a say in these projects.

Benson points to her record in the Department of State. She says election safety and accessibility rankings improved from 30th to second in the nation during her tenure. She also notes record voter turnout in recent cycles. She credits the department’s shift toward efficiency, including kiosks in grocery stores, with saving citizens time and money.

The candidate plans to reinvest in public education. She says the state has seen three decades of defunding under Republican leadership. Her proposal includes free breakfast and lunch for students and higher pay for teachers. She intends to restructure funding to meet the specific needs of individual school districts.

Health care affordability is a central part of her platform. Benson says she will work to make the Department of Health and Human Services more efficient. She plans to help residents appeal insurance denials and address medical debt. She contrasts her record with her opponent, whom she says voted three times to raise health care premiums while in Congress.

She also wants to improve housing affordability by increasing the supply of units. Her plan supports first-time and second-time buyers while holding developers accountable for cost increases. She aims to make child care more affordable and invest in clean energy infrastructure to reduce electricity bills.

Benson says she will streamline government regulations to help small businesses grow. She wants to modernize building codes and child care center licensing. She believes reducing bureaucratic barriers will allow entrepreneurs to scale their operations and create well-paying jobs in the state.