Leaders of major Michigan business, higher education, nonprofit, and local government organizations today renewed their call on Governor Jennifer Granholm and the Michigan Legislature to quickly and comprehensively reform the costly Michigan prison system and corrections policies.

Click here to read the group's full letter and press release.

Center for Michigan President Phil Power also published a column on this topic this week. Click here to read the column.

In their second signed plea in the past two months, the reform-minded groups:

• Urged the governor to propose sweeping, money-saving reforms in her upcoming state budget address.

• Urged legislators to work in bipartisan fashion with the governor to pass major corrections system reforms.

• Called a recent Council of State Governments (CSG) report on the prison system "a good, initial step" but "not nearly enough." While CSG recommended worthy improvements to the prison system, the reform-minded groups expressed disappointment in the report because it did not address or assess other research suggesting hundreds of millions of dollars in potential savings through sentencing reforms and operational efficiencies.

• Expressed thanks to elected leaders and corrections administrators for open dialogue, but urged more sweeping action. Those signing the letter remain concerned that “without reform (the Corrections budget) will continue to grow at a pace that crowds out strategic priorities for the state’s future.”

The new letter is attached. Signing the letter were:

• Richard E. Blouse, president and CEO, Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce
• Michael A. Boulus, exec. director, Presidents Council, State Universities of Michigan
• Kyle Caldwell, president and CEO, Michigan Nonprofit Association
• Robert Fowler, president and CEO of the Small Business Association of Michigan
• Daniel Gilmartin, executive director of the Michigan Municipal League
• Charles E. Hadden, president and CEO, Michigan Manufacturers Association
• Michael Jandernoa, private citizen, Grand Rapids
• Bill Martin, CEO, Michigan Association of Realtors
• Phil Power, president, The Center for Michigan
• Jeanne Englehart, president & CEO, Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce
• Doug Rothwell, president, Detroit Renaissance
• Ken Sikkema, senior policy fellow, Public Sector Consultants
• Richard K. Studley, president, Michigan Chamber of Commerce
• S. Martin Taylor, private citizen, Grosse Pointe