Michigan’s population growth is among the worst in the nation, and it has experts sounding the alarm for some action in Lansing.
Twenty years ago, a group called Michigan Future did a study that said Metro Detroiters need help because they rely on manufacturing in Michigan.
It was so controversial that many who helped research and write it wouldn’t put their names on it. Twenty years later, it was so dead on that they re-issued it, pointing out that it was time to act on the findings, and that’s where this comes in.
The governor’s growing Michigan Together Council is now saying exactly the same thing.
A generation ago, Michigan Future said that knowledge-based industries and young professionals would be the most critical drivers of future economic growth.
“Michigan needs to increase the labor force participation rate and to attract and retain more wealthy residents with high capital income.”
Adding to the trouble, the growing Michigan Together Council report says, “Today Michigan is 49th out of 50 in terms of population growth. Currently, fewer than 33% of Michigan students are proficient in reading or math in the fourth and eighth grade, and grade four reading proficiency for Black students in Michigan is at only 10%.”
Detroit chamber CEO Sandy Baruah sits on both organizations’ boards and said this is a problem we all need to rally around.
“We have not defined what we want to be as a state, like states like Virginia or Texas or South Carolina or Tennessee where they have a consistent policy executed by whoever is governor, regardless of party, year over year, term over term to drive to a result,” said Baruah.
Today’s manufacturing means ultra high-tech engineering designed by what Baruah calls the high flyers.
We found highly educated young people on the University of Michigan campus who might want to live in Michigan.
“I would like to go back to California and go home,” said a student.
“Colorado would be nice,” said another student.
“California sometimes is an option, New York City,” said another student. “I’m more of a big city person I feel like.”
Baruah added that today’s college graduates are a new breed. They go to where they want to live and expect to find a job afterward.
He said many don’t mind driving a car but want mass transit alternatives so they aren’t dependent on it, which is not Motown’s strength.
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