COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – Michigan state lawmakers are intensifying their efforts to dismantle or overhaul the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), citing concerns over transparency and the agency’s effectiveness in job creation.
A recent legislative push led by state Republicans seeks to abolish the quasi-governmental body, with critics pointing to a study claiming only a small fraction of promised jobs from major deals have actually materialized.
Despite these calls for closure, Governor Gretchen Whitmer has vowed to veto such legislation, arguing that eliminating the MEDC would signal Michigan is “closed for business” and harm the state’s ability to compete for large-scale manufacturing and technology projects.
While its future is debated in Lansing, the MEDC continues to provide targeted funding to local communities like Coldwater, which has received several recent grants to support downtown revitalization.
Some of the more recent grants have included $75,000 for a façade improvement program in 2025 to renovate historic downtown buildings. $25,000 through the Match on Main program for the Children’s Museum of Branch County in July 2025 to expand its climbing wall, $18,000 awarded to El Taco Loco for restaurant expansion and architectural renderings, and $15,000 from the Main Street Vibrancy Grant in June 2025 to fund a local art program featuring murals and sculptures.
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