Author Archives: John Bebow

Maybe it’s the K-12 and higher education budget cuts … Maybe it’s the intensifying battle over teacher tenure reform … Maybe it’s the uncomfortable prospects of teacher layoffs, school closings and growing class sizes playing out now in many hometowns across Michigan … Whatever the motivation, education is the main topic of conversation at the Mackinac [...]

“Regional cooperation” is a buzzword every year at the Mackinac Policy Conference. Now, here’s some regional cooperation for you… Grand Rapids stuntman extraordinaire Rob Bliss created this world’s largest lip sync and filmed it in mid-May in response to a Newsweek report claiming GR was one of “America’s Dying Cities.” For anyone who’s visited downtown [...]

SUPPORT FOR A MODEST BUSINESS TAX CUT We found majority support for the concept of cutting business taxes to create a better climate for business and job growth. But, in both random statewide phone polling and instant polling with hand-held devices in Common Sense Conversations, there was much more support for a “modest” cut than [...]

FINDING THE RIGHT MIX As we went into the field to poll citizens and hold Common Sense Conversations, Michigan faced a $1.4 billion budget deficit. Setting aside all individual options to close that gap, we asked citizens for their favored general approach. They clearly favored a mix of tax increases and budget cuts: Which approach [...]

There are five more ways for you to join the fray as the Center for Michigan travels the state this spring to give citizens the opportunity to talk back to Lansing about Governor Rick Snyder’s numerous plans to remake the state’s tax system and redefine what government does and how it does it. Join us [...]

We have just a few seats remaining for our March 30th (Wednesday night) Common Sense Conversation on Michigan’s Future at Washtenaw Community College. The  address is 4800 E. Huron Dr., Ann Arbor, 48105.  We are in room ML 101; (ML stands for Morris J. Lawrence Building). The event is co-sponsored and co-produced by The Center for [...]