Axios Detroit

July 03, 2023
๐ New month! New fiscal year! New you??
Today's weather: Mostly cloudy, with a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2pm, high near 82ยฐ.
๐ Situational awareness: We're off tomorrow for the Fourth of July, but we'll be back in your inboxes bright and early Wednesday.
Today's newsletter is 785 words โ a 3-minute read. Edited by Everett Cook and copy edited by Cindy Orosco-Wright.
1 big thing: Biden's EV push tests UAW alliance
Illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios
An emerging alignment between the United Auto Workers and former President Trump over electric vehicles threatens to sour the longstanding alliance between the union and the Democratic Party.
Why it matters: The UAW โ representing more than 400,000 active workers, a quarter of which are in Metro Detroit โ has long been a powerful force in progressive politics, serving as a Midwestern bulwark for Democrats.
- But about one in three UAW members voted for Trump in 2016 and 2020, according to the organization's own polling.
- And while President Biden has touted his aggressive push toward electric cars as part of a major reinvestment in American manufacturing, many auto workers aren't on board.
State of play: The newly elected president of the UAW has struck a fiery tone, saying the administration is "actively funding the race to the bottom with billions in public money."
- UAW President Shawn Fain ripped the president after the Energy Department announced a $9.2 billion loan to Ford to build battery plants in the South.
- "Why is Joe Biden's administration facilitating this corporate greed with taxpayer money?" Fain said in a statement.
The UAW is withholding an endorsement for Biden's 2024 campaign, after backing him in 2020.
- โWe want to see national leadership have our back on this before we make any commitments," Fain wrote in a memo to members, first reported by the Detroit News.
The big picture: The UAW's first job, before deciding which political candidates to support, is to protect its members โ and most of them are building gas-powered vehicles, which are gradually being phased out in favor of EVs.
- Fain worries EV factories won't employ as many people as traditional assembly plants because EVs are simpler to build, with fewer parts.
The intrigue: Fain's attack last week on Biden's EV incentives came two days before Trump descended on Metro Detroit โ the heart of the UAW โ and echoed Fain's criticisms, hoping to score points with worried autoworkers.
Reality check: There's no way the UAW will endorse Trump over Biden in 2024.
- "Another Donald Trump presidency would be a disaster," Fain wrote in his letter to members.
What's next: The heightened political rhetoric comes as the UAW prepares to enter difficult labor negotiations with Detroit automakers next month.
- Analysts and industry insiders say a strike is likely.
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2. Nearly seven years of pinching pennies

It takes Metro Detroiters an average of 6.7 years to save up for a 10% down payment on the typical home, Zillow data shows.
- That accounts for saving 5% of our area's median household income every month, Axios' Sami Sparber and Brianna Crane report.
- The U.S. average is 8.9 years.
Why it matters: Affordability could be a "major driver of cross-country moves" as buyers seek a lifestyle within their means, Zillow economists say.
By the numbers: In our region, the average monthly payment burden for new homeowners who paid 10% down is 28.5% of income, per Zillow.
- That's up from 10% in 2012 and 23% in 2004. We've now surpassed the peak from before the Great Recession hit.
Between the lines: The share of first-time buyers in the U.S. has shrunk to a record low as inventory and affordability issues persist, according to the National Association of Realtors.
- First-timers are also waiting longer to buy; the median first-time buyer age jumped from 33 years to 36 from 2021 to 2022.
Of note: The majority of Americans believe it's the worst time ever to buy a house.
- And many would-be-buyers are saddled with debt, including student loans, car loans and credit card debt.
The intrigue: Nearly 42% of Metro Detroit home sales were made in cash in April, as the share of U.S. cash buyers reached a nine-year high, new Redfin data shows.
3. The Grapevine: You heard it here
Illustration: Allie Carl/Axios
๐ The QLINE's potential is being debated once again as transit officials prepare federal funding proposals for local projects. Expansion of the 3.3-mile Woodward streetcar service is on the table โ but its place within a coherent regional transit strategy remains unclear. (BridgeDetroit)
๐ Michiganโs state budget proposes funding to become the fifth state in the nation to offer free breakfast and lunch to students in K-12 public schools. (WXYZ Detroit)
1 greenhouse update to go
From left to right: squash, basil, kale, herbs, peppers, tomatoes, green beans and jalapeรฑos. Photos: Everett Cook/Axios
๐ Hey, Everett here. I was very nervous about leaving my backyard greenhouse experiment to go on vacation (and even more nervous about entrusting my friends to water consistently).
Reality check: Fear not! The tomato plants grew about two feet in the 10 days I was gone. And the peppers, squash, green beans, jalapeรฑos and herbs are also coming along nicely.
- The lesson: Trust your tomatoes, trust your friends, and the sun will do its thing.
๐ฌ How are your summer gardens looking? Want to share any tips? Reply and let me know!

Our picks:
๐ Joe is hoping Everett has a bountiful harvest so he can score some of the surplus.
๐ฉโโค๏ธโ๐โ๐ฉ Annalise enjoyed working with her Axios Local colleagues on this story about lesbian bars across the U.S. Plus, itโs on the Axios Today podcast!
๐ค Sam is unmoved by the new Lil Uzi.
๐ด Everett is old and really enjoyed a relaxing weekend working on house projects, even with the heat and smoke.
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