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VIEWPOINT


December 2014

SOS for MI Roads & Bridges!

 

When you need help, you send out an SOS.  Here in Michigan, SOS could stand for "Save Our Streets."

 

Michigan's urban roads are appalling-a shameful 45th in the nation. Even worse, one-third of the state's bridges are deficient.  Action is needed to ensure the quality and safety of all Michigan roadways.

 

SOS could also stand for "Save Our State." Our newfound economic recovery is jeopardized when people and businesses can't move their products and services with ease.

 

The saying "you get what you pay for" could not be truer. Michigan has bad roads that are too congested because we spend only half of what our neighbors do, and it shows. 


 
The good news is our legislative leaders recognize our roads are in bad shape and that additional investment is needed. Over the last few weeks, the House and Senate have each passed plans that provide additional investment. As legislative discussions continue, it's important that the final solution:

1)  Provides enough revenue to fix what we have and allow us to grow

2)  Provides protections to make sure the money is spent efficiently and effectively

3)  Be sustainable over the long-term so that we are not asking for more money year after year

 

Please contact your legislator and urge them to adopt a comprehensive solution. 

 

Recent articles below:

Detroit News - Push road bill over the top

Detroit Free Press - Michigan needs a sustainable fix to our road problem

MLive.com - Business leaders push for long-term transportation fix 
 

OUR WORK


Measuring Michigan's Competitiveness

 

 


L
ast month, BLM hosted it's 3rd annual Michigan CEO Summit in Detroit. An audience of 400+ business, nonprofit and community leaders, and policymakers gathered to take stock of MI's economic transformation to date and rally around strategies for moving our state forward. The event emphasized the need for aggressive action to compete in today's highly competitive economy.

 

At the Summit, we released our 2014 Economic Competitiveness Benchmarking Report.  Among the key findings of this year's report are: 

  • Growth in employment, per capita GDP, and per capita personal income continues to exceed most peers, but absolute levels for per capita personal income and per capita GDP remain below average and unemployment is above the national average.
  • While MI's population has experienced positive growth in the last two years, over the long-term other states have grown faster.
  • MI's corporate and overall tax climates continue to be among the best nationally.
  • MI's production of technical degrees and certificates is 6% lower than "Top Ten" states and production of all degrees and certificates is 9% lower.
  • Only 20% of MI high school students are career and college ready, 35% below "Top Ten" states.
  • The percentage of MI's population with an associate's degree or above is about 11% lower than "Top Ten" states.
  • Michigan is in the bottom five states for urban road quality.

These findings reinforce there is still much work to be done to make MI a "Top Ten" state, including increasing investments in our infrastructure, workforce, and key assets - major pillars of the Michigan Turnaround Plan. If Michigan was performing like a "Top Ten" state today, there would be 150,000 more Michigan people working, $12,000 more income per person, and $16,000 more GDP per person.

 

Click here to view materials, videos, and photos from the event. Click here to access the report online.

UPCOMING EVENTS


SAVE-THE-DATE!

 

March 26, 2015:  
Don't miss the 2015 New Michigan Summit at the Lansing Center in downtown Lansing. REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! Click here to reserve a seat!

November 12, 2015: 
Mark your calendar for the 2015 Michigan CEO Summit
at The Westin Book Cadillac Detroit in downtown Detroit.

 ADVANCING THE MICHIGAN TURNAROUND PLAN & THE NEW MICHIGAN STRATEGY



Michigan is turning around!  Jobs, income and GDP are on the rise. The 2014 Michigan Turnaround Plan reflects the significant progress that has been made in making Michigan more competitive.  It identifies areas where we can compete, invest and grow in order to make our state stronger for generations to come.

 

INVEST: 


Our view: 

To fill the jobs of today and tomorrow, Michigan needs to fill its pipeline with an educated and skilled workforce. A globally connected infrastructure is needed to move our people and products around the world to better serve global customers.

Michigan OKs $8.6M for Skill Trades Training

 

The Michigan Workforce Development Agency funding for 23 Michigan Works! workforce development agencies around the state. The money will be awarded to Michigan companies for skilled-trades training to better match talent with employer needs. The Skilled Trades Training Fund program provides competitive awards to Michigan Works! agencies to fund employer-driven training in high-demand occupations. The state said the agencies will distribute the funds to 236 Michigan employers. For more details about the program, including a list of employers involved, visit michigan.gov/wda.


GROW: 


Our view:  Michigan must cultivate its strongest assets to ensure lasting prosperity and position itself as a welcoming place for all. From our core cities to our abundant human, technological, and natural resources, we can make the most of what we do best to grow a brighter future for our state. 

Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition Announces Winners

Xconomy Detroit | November 17, 2014 

 

The winners of the annual Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition were recently announced after a two-day competition in downtown Detroit.  At stake was more than $1 million in cash prizes, plus awards of services, staffing, and software. Accelerate Michigan winners are companies to keep an eye on, as they're usually considered among Michigan's most promising startups to watch. Read more. . .

Great Lakes Ag Technology Business Incubator opens in Mich.

Ag Professional | December 3, 2014 

 

At a grand opening on Dec. 1, Ottawa County, MI., announced the official kick-off of the Great Lakes Ag-Tech Business Incubator.  The Incubator will specialize in helping farmers and entrepreneurs turn their ag-tech machine, equipment, or software ideas and inventions into successful businesses.  "Most farmers are intuitive, can-do individuals who have innate abilities to solve farm problems with ingenious mechanical inventions," said Mark Knudsn, Planning and Performance Improvement Director. "These inventions can often be the foundation for a thriving business."   Read more. . .

DATA SUPPORTING THE TURNAROUND PLAN


Michigan Unemployment: Drops to 7.1%, Still in Bottom Ten

 

Michigan's unemployment rate dropped by one-tenth of a percent in October to 7.1% - the lowest rate since March 2008, but still remained in the bottom ten nationally as the national rate also dropped by one-tenth of a percent to 5.8%. Read more. . .

Best States for Business: Michigan #42

Forbes Logo  

Michigan ranks as the 42nd best state for business on the latest Forbes list.  MI gets low marks for labor supply (because of our low college attainment and poor K-12 performance), relatively high total business costs (due to higher property tax, labor and benefit costs), and weak growth prospects relative to other states.  The list is based on many metrics BLM uses in its own benchmarking report. Read more. . .

Best State Business Tax Climate: MI #13

Tax Fdn Logo  

Michigan ranks as the 13th best state for business tax climate according to the Tax Foundation.  The ranking is largely based on MIs corporate, personal income and sales taxes. Michigan gets a lower mark due to our property tax rates.  The ranking is down from last year's #9 ranking because other states have reformed their state business taxes. Read more. . . 

 


 

An Overview of the Role of Business in America's Economy

Tax Fdn Logo  

The Tax Foundation has prepared a series of illustrations that define the role business plays in the American economy.  Here are a few highlights:

  • 95% of all businesses are pass-through entities and these companies earn more than all corporations combined
  • Less than 1% of business employs 62% of the workforce
  • Government employs more workers than any other industry
 Read more. . . 

Recovery to Pre-Recession State Tax Collections:  MI #45

 

Michigan's had the 5th lowest recovery of state tax collections compared to its' pre-recession peak when adjusted for inflation according to Pew Foundation.  In all, 26 states are still below their pre-recession peak tax collection levels.  Read more. . .

SPOTLIGHT ON OUR MEMBERS


Strategic Staffing Solutions Unveils Job Site for Military Veterans, Spouses

DBusiness | November 11, 2014

StrategicStaffSol-Logo  

Strategic Staffing Solutions, a Detroit-based IT and business services company, today launched a website offering military veterans, spouses, and dependents advice on translating military experience into desired civilian job skills, a job listing database, and resume help. Read more. . .

DTE Energy approaching $1 billion in incremental spend with Michigan businesses and receiving multiple honors for supplier diversity

 

DTE Energy is approaching $1 billion in incremental spend with Michigan businesses, one year earlier than its original commitment, as part of the Pure Michigan Business Connect Initiative started in 2011. In 2014 alone, DTE has already spent more than $630 million with Michigan-based suppliers.  As part of that investment, the company has also exceeded $110 million with Detroit-based suppliers. Read more. . .

IN THE NEWS. . .


The Rustbelt Roars Back From the Dead

The Daily Beast | December 7, 2014

 

Urban America is often portrayed as a tale of two kinds of places, those that "have it" and those who do not. For the most part, the cities of the Midwest-with the exception of Chicago and Minneapolis- have been consigned to the second, and inferior, class. Cleveland, Buffalo, Detroit or a host of smaller cities are rarely assessed, except as objects of pity whose only hope is to find a way, through new urbanist alchemy, to mimic the urban patterns of "superstar cities" like New York, San Francisco, Boston, or Portland.  Yet in reality, the rustbelt could well be on the verge of a major resurgence, one that should be welcomed not only locally but by the rest of the country.  Read more. . .

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About Us

 

Business Leaders for Michigan, the state's business roundtable, is dedicated to making Michigan a "Top Ten" state for jobs, personal income and a healthy economy. The organization is comprised of the chairpersons, chief executive officers, or most senior executives of Michigan's largest companies and universities.  Our members drive over 25% of the state's economy, provide over 325,000 direct and 820,000 indirect jobs in Michigan, generate over $1 Trillion in annual revenue and serve nearly one half of all Michigan public university students. Find out more at: www.businessleadersformichigan.com