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Shift economic development from hunting to gardening

January 28, 2010 – 10:19 am

What do people in Michigan want?
Overwhelmingly, jobs, good ones and lots of them. A thriving, diversified, growing economy, attractive enough to keep talented people here and bring in others from elsewhere.
In short, a prosperous Michigan.
Whether we'll get there again remains to be seen. Obviously, the biggest factors are the dynamism and imagination of the private [...]

By Phil Power | Also posted in Fresh Thoughts | Comments (9)

Dear Michigan, please prove me wrong

January 7, 2010 – 11:25 am

As we enter a new decade, it is striking how much the situation we face in Michigan mirrors the one confronting our country.
Here at home, it's clear that the near-collapse of our domestic automobile industry is the major contributor to our present economic disaster –and before that, to the decline we have faced over the [...]

By Phil Power | Also posted in Fresh Thoughts | Comments (11)

Town Hall Meeting Report: An emerging grand bargain on taxes and reforms?

November 19, 2009 – 11:52 am

Nearly 300 Michigan citizens and a panel of seven experts discussed some of the most contentious issues in our state's politics this Tuesday morning. The tone was civil; the disagreements, while plain spoken, were respectful; the questions from the audience were probing.
In my view, it was the best possible example of citizen engagement and clear [...]

By Phil Power | Also posted in Fresh Thoughts | Comments (8)

Time to Get Past No

November 19, 2009 – 11:50 am

I have a vivid memory of my beautiful granddaughter, Lucy, standing in front of a mirror just after she turned two:
"No," she said. "No, no, no, no."
Pause.
Then, “no, no, no, no, no.”
“Just practicing for the terrible twos,” said my wife.
She was right, of course. If there’s something two year-olds are really good at, it’s saying [...]

By Phil Power | Also posted in Fresh Thoughts | Comments (8)

Big business ideas for Michigan

November 13, 2009 – 11:03 am

Whether you know it by its new name: Business Leaders for Michigan – or still think of it as Detroit Renaissance, the fact is that  "BLM"  is a major force for business leadership in Michigan. And  they have some very interesting ideas as to how to turn this state around. 
First: Business Leaders has two top-flight [...]

By Phil Power | Also posted in Fresh Thoughts | Comments (4)

Shakespearean tragedy in Lansing?

October 28, 2009 – 12:25 pm

In Macbeth, William Shakespeare wrote about "a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing."
Too bad the bard isn't around to comment on the goings-on these days in Lansing, where the sound and fury is loud, and maybe we have a balanced budget … and maybe we don't.
The most optimistic scenario [...]

By Phil Power | Also posted in Fresh Thoughts, The Center at Work | Comments (2)

Michigan's roadmap to prosperity

October 15, 2009 – 11:38 am

Let's assume the legislature and the governor finally agree on a “balanced” budget some time this month.
Odds are that will happen. Now let's assume further that they understand that merely passing a budget is not the same as putting together a solid, long-term plan to put Michigan's financial house in order and lay the foundation [...]

By Phil Power | Also posted in The Center at Work | Comments (7)

Wholesale tax and spending reform must follow short-term budget fixes

September 30, 2009 – 6:02 pm

For weeks, news from the state capital has been dominated by our lawmakers' battles to balance the state’s budget before a threatened government shutdown. Unfortunately, they — and the media — have missed what should have been the main point.
Granted, balancing the budget is important and legally necessary. But here's what all too many of [...]

By Phil Power | Also posted in Fresh Thoughts, The Center at Work | Comments (5)

Collective budget wisdom

September 25, 2009 – 10:55 am

Today’s column is an open letter to the leaders of our state:
Dear Governor Jennifer Granholm, Speaker Andy Dillon and Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop:
The State of Michigan starts a new fiscal year at midnight on October 1, just days from now. As you know, our state constitution requires we start the fiscal year with a [...]

By Phil Power | Also posted in The Center at Work | Comments (1)

Michigan's mass transit mush

September 16, 2009 – 11:28 am

I had a long conversation the other day with John Hertel, the CEO of the Southeastern Michigan’s Regional Transit Coordinating Council. Naturally, we talked about mass transit.
If the polls are to be believed, mass transit is very popular with people, both in Detroit and in the suburbs. It’s been a proven contributor to economic development [...]

By Phil Power | Also posted in Fresh Thoughts, The Center at Work | Comments (0)

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