Neighborhoods without gentrification
In a recent post we made the case for why gentrification is a good. Something that all Michigan cities should want more of. In this post I want to explore what happens to neighborhoods without gentrification. I finished the previous post with: “Neighborhoods with high demand are vibrant, neighborhoods with low or no demand are […]
The increasing value of a four-year degree
We constantly hear that the value of a four-year degree is declining. Somehow conventional wisdom has it that since the end of the Great Recession college graduates are not enjoying the wage premium over those with less education than previous generations. Makes an interesting story. But it is not true! The data are clear: the […]
A capitalist advocating for higher wages
Important New York Times op ed by Allstate CEO Tom Wilson entitled Save capitalism by paying people more. What makes this so important is the explicit call from a big company CEO that corporate America needs to pay higher wages. The need for higher wages and benefits is the core of the Michigan Future new […]
Michigan cities need more gentrification
For years I have said that the city of Detroit needs more gentrification and congestion. As most of you would expect, the push-back is immediate and intense. Most folks think of the negative consequences of both and instinctively recoil at having more of the negatives. What people don’t think about is that for both gentrification […]
Moving away from standardized testing
As readers of this bog know we believe Michigan needs to move away from standardized testing. Anytime we make that case, the first question we get is “what is the alternative?” In a column for Bloomberg entitled Testing Craze Is Fading in U.S. Schools. Good. Here’s What’s Next. Andrea Gabor tackles just that question. Before […]
Low-wage job concentrations by Michigan region
Michigan’s core economic challenge is there are too many low-wage jobs. It is the primary reason for the Michigan Association of United Ways finding that a way too high 43 percent of Michigan households in a strong economy cannot pay for basic necessities. The reality of too many low-pay jobs is true across the state––nationally […]
Employers increasingly prefer generalists over specialists
All of a sudden there is lots being written about the trend of employers hiring generalists more than specialists. What is so disturbing is the disconnect between this reality and way too many policymakers pushing our education and training providers towards preparing students for a trade or profession. In a world where generalists are what […]
Schlissel makes the case for public investments
In an interview with Bridge magazine University of Michigan President Mark Schlissel lays out the case for public investments as essential to the future success of Michigan. Particularly public investments in higher education. Schilissel says: It used to be the public would come together around common goods, things that, you know, no individual benefits from, […]
The economic growth lesson from Texas ain’t what you think
In 2004 Michigan Future published a report on knowledge-based states having higher per capita income than manufacturing-based states. The data showed that the most prosperous states––other than states with lots of oil and natural gas––had four common characteristics: Over concentration in what we now call knowledge-based services High proportion of adults with a four-year degree […]
Education is not the key to a broad middle class
In an article for the Atlantic Seattle entrepreneur and venture capitalist Nick Hanauer writes: “Like many rich Americans, I used to think educational investment could heal the country’s ills—but I was wrong. Fighting inequality must come first.” Hanauer, as we explored in a previous post, is decidedly left of center. His politics are pro capitalism […]