Governor Gretchen Whitmer had an online meeting today with Black business leaders. She asked for help getting the Legislature to adopt her budget plans – including COVID-19 response funding.
One of the big controversies is the use of a “social vulnerability index” to help ensure medically under-served areas get their share of vaccines. Whitmer has said that’s also critical to ensuring the most susceptible people can return to work.
“All things that will help us get past this virus and get back to rebuilding our economy in an equitable way. So all of these pieces are really important.”
Many Republicans in the Legislature oppose the Whitmer administration’s use of the index. They say it’s an effort to steer vaccines to urban areas based on factors such as poverty and race.
Whitmer said those factors play a large role in the risk of contracting and dying from COVID-19.
