State Rep. Mark Tisdel, R-Rochester Hills, on Wednesday issued the following statement after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s annual State of the State address:

“While I appreciate the Governor’s optimistic outlook on the State of our State, there are significant disparities between her rhetoric and the realities reflected in data. Our education system is letting kids down, and Michigan’s high school graduation rate ranks a dismal 43rd in the nation. Personal incomes in Michigan, which rank 39th nationally, are at their lowest point since the Great Recession. And since 2020 we rank 46th in the country in population growth. As I represent my community in Greater Rochester, I’m ready to work across the aisle with Gov. Whitmer to help address these most critical issues.

“Like the Detroit Lions, Michigan needs to focus on the fundamentals. If we can’t get the basic blocking and tackling right — the essentials that Michiganders expect — fancy flea flickers and longshot Hail Mary passes aren’t going to place our state’s economy and education system among the best in the nation.”