HOLLAND — U.S. Senator Elissa Slotkin, D-MI, met with local business leaders and government officials during Tulip Time to learn more about cost-of-living pressures, housing challenges and energy needs in Holland.
“(Holland) has just been a real example of a growing community in a state where we desperately need our communities to grow,” Slotkin told The Sentinel during her visit May 4. “Holland is really setting an example.”
‘People want to live in this area’
Slotkin spoke about the housing crisis across the United States, which she described as a massive supply and demand issue. She emphasized that housing includes apartments, accessory dwelling units, small single-family homes and manufactured home communities.
“I think every single community in Ottawa County should be looking inward at what they can do to change regulations to encourage more housing — because one thing is very clear, people want to live in this area,” Slotkin said. “They want to move here.”
‘We’re going to need so much energy’
Slotkin also touched on energy needs in Michigan; an important topic for Ottawa County, which is currently embroiled in local pushback against solar and battery energy storage developments, as well as ongoing mandated operations at Consumers Energy’s J. H. Campbell Plant.
“You come to different parts of the state and some people really fight against solar or wind energy,” Slotkin said. “You go to another part of the state, they fight against coal-powered or natural gas or nuclear energy. The truth is, we need all of the above — because we’re going to need so much energy going into the future.”
“I think the Campbell Plant needs to be shut down,” she added. “We’re wasting taxpayer dollars.”
‘Playing as a team’
Slotkin heard from local businesses and the Michigan West Coast Chamber of Commerce on the area’s struggle with ever-changing tariffs and the post-war rise in gas prices and other goods.
“There’s so much volatility … it’s hard to place bets on new investments, new innovation to make really big moves,” Slotkin said. “Businesses (prefer) a stable and steady environment and Holland has been able to provide that for the most part — but they can’t control what happens in Washington.”
Slotkin said the region’s diverse business community and willingness to work together is a key strength.
“Everything has been done by thinking strategically … playing as a team, and that makes such a difference,” she said. “I think that’s probably why Holland is growing while other communities are shrinking.”
— Cassidey Kavathas is the politics and court reporter at The Holland Sentinel. Contact her at ckavathas@hollandsentinel.com. Follow her on X @cassideykava.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Slotkin says Holland is growing while other areas are shrinking. Why?
Reporting by Cassidey Kavathas, Holland Sentinel / The Holland Sentinel
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