Governor lays down challenge
Gov. Jennifer Granholm’s state of the state speech, if it was anything, was a challenge to the residents of Michigan and the members of the legislature.
It was a challenge to look at Michigan in a different way. Not as a state where we’re entitled to a good job in a factory, but as a state where quality schools and universities produce workers of the future. Not as a state controlled by Democrats or Republicans, the left or the right, but as a state where the two parties work together to create government that is smart and efficient.
Of course, the proof isn’t in the speech, which Gov. Granholm does well. The proof will be in the details of the budget released Thursday.
I will be looking for evidence that her numbers back up her verbiage. In her speech, the governor laid the groundwork for new taxes by also promising significant cuts in state programs and restructuring of government to make it more efficient.
Her basic premise is that if we try to solve the budget crisis with cuts alone, we won’t be able to make the investments in the state’s future that are critical.
I think there’s a chance Michigan residents will buy that premise. But only if there really are cuts, and if there really are fundamental changes to make government more efficient.
February 7th, 2007 at 6:01 am
Dan, i’m just curious about the whole thing about “a state where quality schools and universities produce workers of the future”. Yes, we absolutely need a better education system, but if the resulting jobs aren’t also here, then what’s the point? This is why I like the TV ads Jeff Daniels has been doing for the state. The thought that has gone into those ads is the kind that would really make a difference.
February 7th, 2007 at 6:23 am
I think this is perhaps the most critical issue facing Michigan. We desperately need to change the mindset of Michigan residents to understand that the jobs of the future will gravitate to cities, states, nations with the best educated workforces.
In the past, Michigan had plenty of industrial jobs, so a college education wasn’t needed. Now, those jobs are going away, moving overseas to follow lower labor costs.
We have some serious catching up to do to educate our workforce. Google came to Ann Arbor because it has an educated workforce. But Ann Arbor’s about the only city in Michigan with higher-than-average numbers of college-educated workers.
You’re right, the jobs aren’t here now. And they never will be if we don’t dramatically improve the education level of our workforce.
As the governor mentioned in her speech, the Kalamazoo Promise is right on target. We need a Monroe Promise - a way to guarantee that every young person who wants to can go to college - or some form of post high school technical training.
February 27th, 2007 at 8:08 pm
Good conversation topic…this will surely be fodder for many more posts in your blog , letters to the editor, and posts in my own blog too.
Two things worth discussing:
One) The governor hasn’t stopped speaking on the subject, and you are right on track with your idea of a “Monroe Promise”. I’d love to see a “Michigan Promise”. I hear the governor say in a speech Saturday how ‘in a global economy its a “no win” scenario for any state to try and win jobs by having the cheapest labor or the lowest taxes’, since the best any state could do is still going to be higher than Juarez, Mexico or Tianjin China.
Having the best educated, most highly skilled workforce and the best quality of life is our last, best hope to win in a global economy.
Two) There’s a lot of sniping by the Republicans in the Senate (and House) but no counter-proposals yet for their own budget plan. While it’s fun to let the Governor take a lot of heat, the fact is Republican lawmakers WILL need to come to the table and negotiate, and they will have to agree to the same types of difficult cuts the governor is proposing, AND find a good way to replace revenue from the repealed Single Business Tax. A non-functioning State Government will do nothing to help our economy.