A year after the current state budget was signed, the Mackinac Straits Health System held a groundbreaking for a project funded by the plan. After a 15 year wait, a new $10 million addition will improve health service in the eastern Upper Peninsula.
“A lot of times, people forget about us here in the eastern Upper Peninsula and Northern Michigan, they think it’s a fun place to visit,” said Sen. John Damoose, a Republican from Harbor Springs. “But they don’t realize there’s a lot that goes into making this place happen.”
The Mackinac Straits Health System built their new hospital in St. Ignace 15 years ago but the budget went over and cuts were made. For 15 years they waited for more funding to complete the vision.
“Ninety percent of the people live within 90 miles of Lansing,” said James Haveman, the former director of the Michigan Department of Community Health. “So there’s a huge part of the state that deserves and warrants equal healthcare.”
A year ago, $10 million was appropriated for the project, pushed for by then-State Representative Damoose.
“We have such an opportunity here in Michigan to do these things,” said Damoose. “We have a lot of money right now and we just did a budget that is going to do a lot of great projects, just like this.”
“That’s the kind of investment that we, as a state, cannot afford not to make,” said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. “And rises always to the top of things we want to get done.”
These kind of single projects are loaded into the new budget passed last week. They are officially called ‘enhancement grants,’ others call it ‘pork spending’ or ‘pet projects.’
“It’s not accurate to call this a pet project. This is about lives in the Upper Peninsula and the eastern end,” said Whitmer. “This is about people who come to this community for tourism, and need to seek medical care.”
While pushed by a Republican lawmaker and signed by a Democratic governor, bipartisanship will be crucial for Northern Michigan with urban based Democrats in control.
“This isn’t driven because of who you know or someone who is a connected donor, this is a community that needs investment in a fundamental like healthcare,” said Whitmer.
Whitmer will sign the new budget later this month. Then she says the next goal is to focus her agenda on the beauty of Northern Michigan.
“As we get into the fall, I would expect us to move forward on a number of things from our climate agenda, protecting these Great Lakes,” said Whitmer. “And ensuring that we’re doing our part when it comes to making Michigan energy independent and climate resilient.”
