New York City Deputy Mayor Dan Doctoroff finds time to keep tabs on his home state of Michigan and is more than a little outspoken about the state’s failure to innovate in the 21st Century. His ideas, as broadcast by the thoughtful MichiganNow radio program, include:
Stop Stalling and Start Building Mass Transit: 70 percent of New Yorkers can walk to a train stop. Ninety-six percent of foreseeable development in the New York region will be within a half-mile of mass transit.
Welcome immigrants: Foreign-born workers are driving innovation and the economy in the Big Apple. Michigan can do more to import talent.
“Articulate A Vision:” There’s no reason to apologize for a hefty tax increase, if you can justify it an explain exactly what it’s for. (Editor’s Note: In Michigan’s case, the new taxes are not to reinvent government, or reinvest in 21st Century priorities. Instead, the new taxes simply help bring status quo government out of red.)
2 Comments
I love the new format of the Center for Michigan newsletter and continue to benefit from the wise analysis and commentary offered therein. Most recently the comments of Dan Doctoroff,Deputy Mayor of New York City, urge Michiganders get our heads out of the sand and take an active part in facing issues necessary to revitalizing our state.
Thank you Michigan Center!
Michigan is not a city. Metro areas may benefit from Dan’s comments and should take a look at them but a rural, north coast, U.P. diverse state such as we are blessed to live in needs real new ideas that will help many diverse communities to share common resources and create uniques jobs to their areas. Michigan needs a vision of where it wants to go in the 21st century. Manufacturing is dieing in all of America and Michigan needs to move to a service based economy. What services are going to be in demand during the 21st century? Renewable energy, clean water to play in, cool forests to relax in, a clean safe food supply, software services, consulting services, easy travel and welcoming friendly communities for living and doing business in the 21st century could be a good vision. There could be others! Speakup and tell us your ideas for Michigan.