Comments on: Strong Growth Up North http://www.thecenterformichigan.net/blog/strong-growth-up-north/ Fri, 25 Jul 2008 11:42:44 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: tim wintermute http://www.thecenterformichigan.net/blog/strong-growth-up-north/#comment-21289 tim wintermute Fri, 25 Apr 2008 17:53:43 +0000 http://www.thecenterformichigan.net/blog/?p=815#comment-21289 According to the Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce's 2008 economic forecast their population over age 50 is higher than the state and national average and their economic growth is higher than the state and nation. The Chamber sees a connection between the two and is the only Chamber in Michigan that I know of that actively tries to attract older people as a major part of their economic growth and jobs strategy. The SEMCOG forecast-study for SE Michigan by U of M economists Fulton and Grimes identify the same opportunity for SE Michigan. Although older people bring money into a community thus creating jobs for younger people and consume less of the services paid for by local taxes (localities make money on older people that they can then use to subsidize what they lose on younger people) yet the economic strategies in the state for the most part totally ignore this opportunity. They can learn from Traverse City. According to the Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce's 2008 economic forecast their population over age 50 is higher than the state and national average and their economic growth is higher than the state and nation. The Chamber sees a connection between the two and is the only Chamber in Michigan that I know of that actively tries to attract older people as a major part of their economic growth and jobs strategy. The SEMCOG forecast-study for SE Michigan by U of M economists Fulton and Grimes identify the same opportunity for SE Michigan. Although older people bring money into a community thus creating jobs for younger people and consume less of the services paid for by local taxes (localities make money on older people that they can then use to subsidize what they lose on younger people) yet the economic strategies in the state for the most part totally ignore this opportunity. They can learn from Traverse City.

]]> By: John Deikis http://www.thecenterformichigan.net/blog/strong-growth-up-north/#comment-21254 John Deikis Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:46:21 +0000 http://www.thecenterformichigan.net/blog/?p=815#comment-21254 "...However, the regional economy is growing jobs in other sectors, especially healthcare, human services, and business services." Unless I'm missing something here, none of these sectors create wealth, they just move existing money around. The fact that we are creating jobs for surgeons and nursing assistants suggests dismal economic prospects. Growth in services without growth in industry predicts a day when no one will have the means to buy the services. So, why is your news good news for Michigan? --John "...However, the regional economy is growing jobs in other sectors, especially healthcare, human services, and business services."

Unless I'm missing something here, none of these sectors create wealth, they just move existing money around. The fact that we are creating jobs for surgeons and nursing assistants suggests dismal economic prospects. Growth in services without growth in industry predicts a day when no one will have the means to buy the services.

So, why is your news good news for Michigan?

--John

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