Yesterday, the Michigan business community joined forces to call for reform to the state government. They have come up with many suggestions that could help the state’s ever looming fiscal situation. Many of their suggestions are ideas that I have had in the past and have sent to the Granholm/Cherry administration. With the state government about to shutdown on September 30th, I am sure you can figure out they did not heed my advice. If you had the chance to suggest reform to Lansing what would it be?
http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS211584+08-Sep-2009+PRN20090908
Reform needs to start at the top. How can we trust Mike Bouchard to enact needed reforms when he abuses the private property rights of others?
I think that Michigan needs to get costs under control. Educational funding while important, should not be a growing expediture for the State of Michigan. We need to pass strong legislation to help control the unions and enact tax reforms that will decrease the tax burden on Michigan families and businesses. As I am sure you know, Michigan rates as one of the most educated states in the nation and only 2nd in the midwest behind Minnesota. Michigan has an exceptional network of community colleges and an extensive offering of adult continuing educational courses being offered in local communities. Michigan will not be able to compete for manufacturing jobs with South Carolina, Utah, etc. unless it gets taxes, regulations, and unions under control. If this does not happen there is no hope for Michigan because there is nothing that Michigan has that Georgia doesn’t or Texas doesn’t.