October 2013  

Giving Our Children the Best Chance for Success

Recently, the Michigan House of Representatives voted to affirm the implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for our K12 public schools in MI. The CCSS are a set of clear expectations internationally benchmarked against high-performing regions around the world, ensuring our student-preparation will be second to none and letting us know if MI children are learning at the same pace as those in Indiana and Ohio or India and Japan. The CCSS are consistent for all - and not dependent on a student's zip code - ensuring all students across the state, gain the knowledge and skills necessary for a career or to further their education. Finally, they provide an opportunity for MI to learn from innovative practices in other states that may be getting better results. 

The 85-21 bipartisan vote in support of Common Core is a credit to the leadership of House Speaker Jase Bolger and House Minority Leader Tim Greimel. State Representative Tim Kelly, chair of the special committee established to take public testimony on the CCSS and make a recommendation to the full House, deserves special recognition for allowing all sides of this debate to be heard and addressing concerns in the resolution that was ultimately approved.

ACTION NEEDED: The resolution now resides in the Michigan Senate. Please let your Senator know that you support the CCSS.  Respectfully urge the Senate to act quickly to affirm the CCSS, so that school districts across the state that are already implementing these high standards will be able to continue that process with confidence.     

Survey Finds "Great Optimism for Detroit"

City residents believe things will get better in 2014, overwhelmingly support Duggan

A new survey of Detroit voters reveals city residents' abiding belief in the city's future, with more than 60 percent of respondents saying things will get better during the next year.  "The people of Detroit are resilient, optimistic, and ready for change," said Doug Rothwell, BLM President and CEO.  Read more. . .

Updated Performance Tracker for Michigan Public Universities reveals efforts to control costs, make degrees accessible

Business Leaders for Michigan (BLM), released an updated version of Michigan's Performance Tracker for Public Universities, a website that identifies the performance of MI's 15 public universities compared to their peers.  The update ranks each school across more than 30 different data points. MI's public universities continue to outperform peers in producing graduates with critical skills employers need.

"MI's Performance Tracker for Public Universities makes the state a national leader in providing students, parents and policy makers an easy way to compare the performance of MI's public universities," said Doug Rothwell, BLM President and CEO.  Read more. . . 

The State is accelerating regulatory reform efforts to streamline requirements and 

improve customer service. Called Reinventing Performance in Michigan, the 

Michigan's Unemployment Rates Continue to Decline

MI's unemployment rate increased slightly in August, from 8.8 percent to 9 percent but has dropped from 11 percent to 9 percent since January 2011. More people are working today in MI than a year ago. The state added 68,000 jobs from August 2012 to August 2013. Since 2011, nearly 223,000 private sector jobs have been created in Michigan. 

Michigan: #15 Best State to do Business

Area Development's annual survey of site consultants ranked Michigan tied for 15th best state for doing business.  The results were driven by high ratings for the availability of skilled labor which got MI among the top states mentioned in the survey for "renewed consideration" post-recession.  Read more. . . 

Job Growth by Region  - Grand Rapids Ranks #2

Grand Rapids metro ranked #2 nationally for new jobs added per capita since 2010 based on research compiled by EMSI.  The first map below shows the percentage change in jobs created from 2010 to 2013 by region.  The second shows the percentage change in earnings by metro over the same period. Read more. . .

Michigan: 36th Lowest Marginal Tax Rate For Entrepreneurs

The Tax Foundation computed the top marginal tax rate on S-corporations and sole proprietorships in each state.  A "marginal" rate is the amount that is taxed of the next dollar of income earned by pass-through businesses in each state's highest tax bracket.  These rates reflect the sum of federal, state, and local income taxes (minus the state and local tax deduction); self-employment taxes; and the limitation on itemized deductions.  MI fares well in both cases by ranking 36th lowest for both sole proprietorships and S-corporations.  Read more. . . 

 Top Marginal Tax Rates for Sole Propietorships

Michigan Has 37th Lowest Sales Tax Rate

The Tax Foundation identifies MI as having the 37th lowest sales tax rate when combining both the state rate with the maximum local tax rate where applicable.  While MI has the 16th highest state sales tax rate, the state allows no local sales tax "add-ons."  Read more. . . 

Combined State and Local Sales Tax Rates

Forbes: Michigan #47 Best State for Business

Forbes ranked Michigan the 47th best state for business for 2013 based upon the following factors:

#38 in Business Costs

#48 in Labor Supply

#16 in Regulatory Environment

#47 in Economic Climate

#47 in Growth Prospects

#23 in Quality of Life

Read more. . .  

28 business leaders come together to tout Detroit's $250 billion 'bright future'

MLive.com | September 23, 2013

An oft-repeated number tied to negative news about Detroit is $18 billion.

It's the estimated amount of the city's long-term debt, and it has found its way under international headlines that declare the city financially near-death after it filed for Chapter 9 bankruptcy in July.

But prominent Detroit business leaders have another number: $250 billion. That represents the combined market capitalization of the 28 companies that signed an ad the debuted Sunday in the New York Times, Washington Post, Detroit Free Press and Detroit News. Read more. . .

Economist sees Metro area growth

Housing, jobs market should improve in Mich., too

Detroit News | October 3, 2013

Despite the latest Washington gridlock, and Detroit's bankruptcy, Michigan and Metro Detroit will likely see slow-to-moderate economic growth next year, forecasts Comerica Inc. chief economist Robert Dye. Expect the housing sector, jobs market and financial markets to improve in fiscal year 2014, Dye said Wednesday. He was in Ann Arbor to talk about his annual economic outlook for the nation and Michigan.  Read more. . .

CFM's New Michigan Scorecard: Five years later, state still stuck in neutral

Bridge Magazine | September 13, 2013

Despite a rebounding auto industry and real estate prices beginning to turn around, Michigan is barely moving the needle in many other quality of life rankings against other states. That's the somewhat humbling message of this year's Michigan Scorecard, compiled through a partnership of The Center for Michigan and Kurt Metzger, Director Emeritus of Data Driven Detroit. The scorecard, now in its fifth year and based on dozens of data sources and some two dozen specific measures, shows Michigan has made little overall progress during the past five years in four broad areas: Education and talent; jobs, prosperity and economy; quality of life; and politics and civic participation. Read more. . . 

4 things to know about University of Michigan's $1.33B research enterprise 

MLive.com | September 20, 2013

Research at the University of Michigan is a $1.33 billion enterprise. Research spending at U-M increased 4.3 percent, or $54.7 million, from fiscal 2011-12 to fiscal 2012-13, according to figures released by the school Thursday.U-M Vice President for Research Stephen Forrest announced fiscal 2013 research levels Thursday during a Board of Regents meeting. He also announced that he'll be stepping down from his administrative position in January to become a faculty member. Read more. . .

This time Detroit's revival is different 

Detroit News | September 19, 2012 

Enter the irrepressible optimist. Back from his third trip to China, Gov. Rick Snyder says the largest American city ever to go bankrupt is emerging as a global value play. He says the bankruptcy is moving faster than he anticipated when he approved its filing in July. He says Detroit's rebound already is under way. "Look at the huge investments in downtown and Midtown," he said in an interview on the sidelines of the Techonomy conference at Wayne State University. "Look at the jobs coming into Detroit." Read more. . .