As you might expect, I have been asked a lot about my reaction to Governor Snyder’s budget proposal. The folks at Dome Magazine asked me to contribute a column along with others with differing points of view on our assessment of the Governor’s first 90 days. Here is what I wrote. If you have the time I would recommend all five of the columns. They provide a pretty good overview of the range of opinions on the Governor’s actions so far.
The same is true for the quality report by Lester Graham of Michigan Radio on the differing points of view on how the Governor’s budget will impact the state’s economy. I am one of the folks Graham interviewed.
Dome titled my column Compelling Vision, Worrisome Strategy. That is the essence of how I have been responding to all the interviews I have done. The Governor has laid out a terrific vision for where Michigan needs to go to be economically successful again. His Michigan 3.0. No Michigan governor in my memory has understood better than Governor Snyder what is needed to compete in a flattening world. But so far his policies – particularly his budget – seem unlikely to get us there. One can make a case that, if anything, they are moving us in the wrong direction. Because of the cuts in education – larger than ever before – and the continuing assault on revenue sharing. These are the key ingredients in a public investment strategy to better position us to prepare, retain and attract talent. Which is the asset that matters most in creating Michigan 3.0
