DeVos blasts Whitmer for calling school voucher plan a 'scheme': You just gave millions to a Chinese company

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MI Governor Gretchen Whitmer is joined by former President Obama for a 'Get Out the Vote' rally

MI Governor Gretchen Whitmer is joined by former President Obama for a 'Get Out the Vote' rally.

Former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos blasted Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, D., for appearing to refer to a voucher-like school scholarship program that would offer more than a half-billion dollars in public funds for students to attend private schools as a "scheme."

Let MI Kids Learn, backed by DeVos and Whitmer's conservative gubernatorial opponent Tudor Dixon, would create a tax credit program for donors to a Student Opportunity Scholarship program that would help families pay for children’s education, including private tuition and homeschool materials. Critics have suggested that the plan would threaten public education.  

Whitmer vetoed similar legislation last fall. But the Michigan Constitution allows lawmakers to enact legislation initiated by petition drives without a signature from the governor.  

"The Dixon-DeVos school voucher scheme would slash $500 million from public schools and leave our kids behind," Whitmer tweeted Thursday. "Michigan families deserve better." 

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Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer addresses business leaders, Monday, Dec. 20, 2021, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio) (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File)

DeVos fired back with a tweet questioning Whitmer's own financial priorities. The governor recently celebrated the news that the Michigan Strategic Fund board approved a Renaissance Zone tax exemption request and $175 million in state grants for Chinese manufacturer Gotion Inc. to build a $2.4 billion electric vehicle battery parts facility near Big Rapids, the Detroit News reported. The property tax exemption is expected to save the company $540 million over a 30-year period.

"You just gave $715 million to a Chinese company, @gretchenwhitmer," she tweeted. "You're darn right I think we should give disadvantaged Michigan families $500 million to pick the best school for their kids!" 

Dixon also slammed the incentives package in her recent debate with Whitmer and on Twitter.

"She can tell you all she wants that she is improving economic development and keeping automotive jobs here," Dixon said. "But we're hearing that battery plants are going outside of Michigan unless they're owned by the Chinese."

Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, left, and Republican gubernatorial candidate Tudor Dixon are seen during a Michigan Governor debate, Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022, at WOOD-TV in Grand Rapid, Mich. (Bryan Esler/Nexstar Media Group/WOOD-TV via AP)

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"Your taxpayer dollars should be used to make sure your kids are getting a world class education," she said on Twitter. "That you have a reliable infrastructure. That you have safe cities. But now we're seeing taxpayer dollars go into an adversary, a Chinese corporation."

In a news release with Michigan Economic Development Corporation CEO Quentin Messer, Jr., Whitmer said that their action will create over 2,000 jobs and cement Michigan's status as "the global hub of mobility and electrification."

"Gotion’s $2.36 billion investment creating 2,350 good-paying jobs in Big Rapids is the biggest ever economic development project in Northern Michigan and will shore up our status as the global hub of mobility and electrification," Whitmer said. "I am proud that Republicans and Democrats worked across the aisle to build up our economic development toolkit and empowered Michigan to compete for every project and every job. Together, we will continue winning investments in this space and become the preeminent destination for electric vehicle and mobility companies. We will work with anyone and compete with everyone to keep bringing supply chains of batteries, chips, and electric vehicles home to Michigan."

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U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos listens during a cabinet meeting in the East Room of the White House on May 19, 2020, in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Dixon also hit Whitmer on the amount of money doled out for K-12 government schools to ask the governor if she was on parents' side. Whitmer recently signed a $22.2 billion budget bill for funding for K-12 schools, community colleges and universities, with $19.6 billion going to K-12 schools, according to the House Fiscal Agency, the Detroit Free Press reported. 

"Also, Michigan spends $20 BILLION each year on K-12 government schools, many of which aren't a good fit for the students assigned to them," Dixon tweeted. "$500 Million to fund students directly is 2.5% of that. I believe in students, and I trust parents. Why don't you, @gretchenwhitmer." 

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The school choice movement has been attracting parents across the country, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, R., made waves over the summer by signing a bill to expand education savings accounts to have universal eligibility, opening the program to all 1.1 million K-12 students in the state.