Education and housing — those were among the principal themes sounded by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer last week in the annual State of the State address.

Both are key issues in the Upper Peninsula, especially housing, a lack of which continues to vex regional residents

On education, Whitmer called for increased investments through initiatives such as free community college for all high school graduates and free preschool for 4-year-olds, focused on cutting costs for residents.

“We will build a Michigan where if you get knocked down, you have the support you need to get back up. Lowering costs on the biggest items in your budget, improving education so your kids can thrive, ensuring you can ‘make it’ no matter who you are or what you’ve been through,” Whitmer said.

State Rep. Jenn Hill, D-Marquette, applauded Whitmer’s speech.

“I’m encouraged to hear the governor speak on shared priorities like making housing affordable, supporting education, creating jobs and keeping hard-earned dollars in the pockets of our working families,” Hill said in a separate statement. “Last year, we took major steps to bolster the (Upper Peninsula’s) economy with new infrastructure and business opportunities. While there’s still work to be done, I’m confident that our communities will prosper.”

According to the Associated Press, many of the proposals — including the free community college plan and Whitmer’s call for free pre-kindergarten for 4-year-olds by the end of the year — will require funding in the upcoming state budget.

It remains to be seen how soon, if at all, Whitmer’s initiatives will be brought before state lawmakers.

In other words, it’s unclear where the money will come from to pay for these and other initiatives noted in the SOS speech.

We hope Whitmer includes funding proposals in the next state budget. Her ideas are good ones but follow-though is needed.