dbusiness Article Update

The folks at dbusiness gave me a great opportunity to do a long essay on our prescription for improving the Michigan economy. You can read it here. The article went to print before the new 2008 state data came out on both per capita income and college education attainment. So here are the latest data. […]

Detroit’s Offer to Creatives – Space, Food and Time

The revival of Detroit is happening, slowly but surely.  The best indicator is the pulse of the so-called “creative class” that are typically the first to re-enter and re-catalyze an urban area. This weekend, I met up with a friend who is a prototype of the creative class – an artist and musician who organizes […]

The Importance of Four-Year Degrees

A recent comment from Jeffery questioned the value of four-year degrees for all. This is a frequent question I get in my presentations. So I thought it worth doing a blog, rather than just responding to the comment. Since we are interested in how to rebuild a high prosperity Michigan, our focus is on what […]

TEDxDetroit – Turning Keynes On His Head

For a moment, set aside the challenging choices and drama unfolding in Lansing.  The most hopeful news in the state today came from Detroit.    No, I am not talking about the first ever global electric vehicle conference – although that too is hopeful news.  I am talking about the diverse mix of curious people […]

Retooling Michigan’s Workforce

Lou Glazer moderated a panel on Friday at a Net Impact Conference at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan focused on how we can retool a workforce.   The panelists and the student audience were especially interested in how this relates to Michigan and I wanted to share some of the key […]

Public Investments, Part III

So if the prestigious Milliken/Blanchard panel laid out a framework for state policy makers on tax and spending policies that will help grow the Michigan economy, why have their recommendations been ignored? I think there are three main reasons: 1. As we have learned the last several years both raising taxes and cutting spending are […]

Public Investments, Part II

So if public investments are the key to better position Michigan to prosper in a knowledge-based economy what should policy makers do? The framework for action was spelled out by the Milliken/Blanchard panel in 2007. A group of bi partisan heavyweights convened by Governor Granholm. They wrote a terrific report which the Governor and the […]

Public Investments are the Priority

Just back from a week in beautiful – but rainy – northern Michigan. As I was leaving I circulated a terrific column by Rick Haglund (read it here). It once again provides evidence that lower taxes is not a path to economic success. Quite surprising it reports that the Tax Foundation – a conservative think […]

Seattle Is Closer To Detroit Than You Think

At least we know that it is not weather that is keeping Detroit from being a top destination for young talent.  According to the Wall Street Journal, the #1 “Next Hot Youth Magnate City” is Seattle, even with its 226 cloudy days per year (versus 185 in Detroit). Interestingly, metro Seattle is also not significantly […]