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Will Gov. Whitmer’s “Growing Michigan Together Council” Work? Here’s What It Needs To Succeed.

How can we make Michigan a top-10 state to live, work, and raise a family?

This is the question that Gov. Whitmer’s new “Growing Michigan Together Council” needs to answer. If the council descends into partisan politicking, it won’t do any good for Michigan. But if it promotes true bipartisanship and real solutions, the council can help Michigan thrive.

The reasoning behind the council is clear in the Governor’s announcement: “Over the last few decades, we have seen Michiganders find opportunity elsewhere because jobs and talent have been pushed out of the state.” She’s right that more and more of our fellow citizens are leaving the Great Lakes State for greener pastures. This is a crisis we have to solve.

Michigan’s future depends on keeping people here – and convincing more people to move here. We need to attract more families and job creators who will spur the economic development that lifts up everyone. And to make Michigan attractive to people, we need excellent schools, cutting-edge infrastructure, and a flourishing economy that creates jobs and opportunity.

The Council is supposed to promote this progress, yet it appears to have some serious shortcomings. To succeed in improving Michigan, the Council needs:

  • Bipartisan Diversity. The members can’t mostly be political allies of Gov. Whitmer. They must include Republicans, Democrats, and leaders who fully represent Michigan.
  • Geographic Diversity. Detroit should not be over-represented. West Michigan, as the most dynamic part of the state, deserves to have multiple voices on the Council.
  • Issue Diversity. The Council shouldn’t just have a single voice on key topics like education and labor. It needs a wide range of voices to help chart the best path forward.

The Council’s full membership has not been announced. Gov. Whitmer has sole authority to appoint new members.

Please contact Gov. Whitmer and let her know: The “Growing Michigan Together Council” needs to represent all of Michigan. It’s essential to making us a top-10 state for families and job creators.