DETROIT (WXYZ) — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer presented several different proposals during her State of State address Wednesday evening.
Putting money back into the pockets of working families and seniors is one proposal that stood out to Michigan residents.
"I’ve been working all my life, all my life," Jean West said.
The 89-year-old Detroiter put some time aside to listen in on the governor's address to the state.
“I thought she was trying to do a good job," she said.
But West believes more must be done for seniors like herself.
“She hasn’t done enough. She hasn’t done enough," West explained.
In the address, Whitmer says she's trying to do more.
“Michiganders should be able to keep more of what they earned," she said.
Whitmer is proposing to roll back taxes on retirement income. This includes pensions, 401K accounts and IRA's.
Whitmer says this could save half a million households $1,000 a year.
“Putting money back in the pockets of retirees will help them afford the essentials from prescriptions, rent, utilities, car payments, to gifts for their grandkids," Whitmer said.
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Robert West, a 66-year-old retired mechanic from Lake Orion, says a $1,000 won't cut it.
“It’s too little, too late. It’s not enough," he said.
Robert West believes him and other retirees should get a tax break.
“Why don’t they give senior citizens cut on property taxes? I’m still paying school taxes and I don’t have any kids in school," Robert West said.
He says he's had to cut back on the cost due the inflation we are seeing at stores.
“We had waffles for dinner tonight. Tomorrow night, we are probably going to have soup because the way everything is going, that’s all I can afford," he said.
Seniors aren't the only ones who could be getting a break. Working families may also see more money. Whitmer's proposal will triple the Child Tax Credit.
"Increasing the EITC, a tax cut for working families, would deliver an average combined tax refund of $3,000 to 730,000 Michiganders, helping them pay the bills and put food on the table," Whitmer said.
“I want her to do the right thing. For not only seniors, but for everybody," Jean West said.
