LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Nearly a dozen Michigan House Republicans gathered on Wednesday to share their new plan to address Michigan’s low standings for population growth, as reported by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s Population Council.
The Growing Michigan Together Population Council reported last winter that the state’s relative position in several categories, including education, business, and median income were contributing to its poor population standings compared to other states.
“Michigan’s population struggles are not new,” the council said in its report. “Decades of apathy, structural deficiencies, and the lack of political cohesion have brought us to this point. After six months of investigation, study, and debate, it’s clear that population decline and its contributing factors are a significant threat to our state’s future prosperity and well-being. We find ourselves in an unfolding crisis and must act now. Michigan has fallen to 49th in population growth. We are lagging in median income, educational outcomes, and attainment and have fallen behind faster-growing peer states in key measures of infrastructure, community well-being, and job opportunities. We are losing more young residents than we’re attracting, and our population is aging faster than those of our neighbors.”
Michigan House Republicans propose a policy to make Michigan more desirable.
Michigan House Minority Leader Matt Hall (R-Richland Township) led a panel of legislators in the announcement of a series of bills that would address numerous issues pertaining to attracting and retaining business in the state.
“It clearly states that the state is lacking a coordinated economic growth plan and unfortunately after five years of [Governor] Whitmer, I don’t think we’re gonna get that from her.”
Rep. Hall shared that these bills have been in the works for since the report was published.
Hall also referenced the two new Democrat State Representatives voted in the special election, Democrats Mai Xiong and Peter Herzberg, emphasizing that even with a majority, the Democrats would have to work with the Republicans.
“It’s very clear to me that the Democrats are not going to be able to get an economic growth plan done without bipartisan help,” he said.
Legislators Underscore Need to Reform Right to Work Approach.
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State Representative Matthew Bierlein (R-Vassar) shared his view that an important element of the economic growth plan is a restoration of right to work laws.
“This law safeguard fundamental rights for workers in our state,” he said, later adding “last year’s decision by Democrats to repeal the right to work law has been deeply troubling, this law which ensured that individuals had the freedom to work without being compelled to join a union, had been a cornerstone our our state’s economic policies and progress.”
He also clarified that the legislation is nothing against unions.
“It is everything for worker choice,” Rep. Bierlein said. “Requiring employees to join a union and pay dues as a condition of employment not only restricts their freedom but also leads to lower pay and fewer job opportunities.”
Incomes are lagging in Michigan says the Population Council.
One of the biggest challenges to growing the economy, according to Hall, is the income levels.
“You need high incomes to support a lot of these things,” he said. “If you have high incomes then you can afford houses, and you can afford to spend money and start small businesses and do all these things.”
Hall also reminded the public that the report has the state ranked as 39th for personal income per capita among the 50 states.
What can be expected next for these bills.
The bills in the package are expected to be introduced next week according to Rep. Hall, who shared that the legislators present all had at least one bill in the package, but would not share how many there were in total.
The Michigan legislature convened for the first time since its spring break Wednesday afternoon.
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