Gov.-elect Snyder reiterates call to fix broken culture in Michigan
Gov.-elect Rick Snyder honed his pitch for remaking
Snyder, a Republican who takes office Jan. 1, said the state has become divisive in the wake of its decade-long recession and negative national image. That’s reflected by partisan political bickering, racial divisions and an east-west divide within
“We’ve been beaten up for so many years, we’ve become too negative,” he said during brief remarks at the Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition at the
“It’s time for a new culture."
Snyder settled comfortably into his persona of successful entrepreneur in addressing an audience comprised mostly of investors and economic development officials. He avoided mention of specific policy proposals that he would push as governor but has recently been promoting the morale-boost theme.
The former Gateway Computers executive and venture capitalist outlined what he considers the five key factors for an economic rebirth in
Snyder said the state has made great strides in many areas, particularly in technology. He said U-M “would have been a second-tier institution for tech transfer” when he returned to
But Snyder said the availability of capital remains “a major constraint” for businesses, and he reiterated his call to recreate the Ann Arbor SPARK business accelerator model on a statewide scale.
Gov.-elect Rick Snyder, left, chat with Ken Nisbet, executive director of U-M’s Tech Transfer, at the Accelerate Michigan competition.
Sven Gustafson | For AnnArbor.com
“We have the most talented people in the world in our state and we’re making good progress but we need to continue that organizational effort,” he said.
Snyder has said that the Michigan Economic Development Corp. should prioritize homegrown businesses over luring out-of-state companies toMike Finney, SPARK’s president and CEO, said he expects the Snyder administration to accelerate economic development efforts made by current Gov. Jennifer Granholm. Snyder formerly served as chairman of the board of SPARK.
“The idea of hunting for companies and trying to find them and bring them here is something that we’ll do,” Finney said. “But we won’t sell the farm to try and go find the companies when we know that there is tremendous intellectual horsepower and infrastructure and other resources here that can in fact grow our own.
“You’ll see a lot of focus on growing companies that are in this state.”
Finney also deflected a question about whether he was discussing the possibility of serving in the Snyder administration, saying that question was best directed to the governor-elect. Snyder has yet to announce his pick to head the MEDC.
The Accelerate Michigan competition, fed by a $750,000 grant from the New Economy Initiative for Southeast Michigan, saw 49 companies and 27 student groups pitch their business plans over three days. The event’s three-member judge panel included Roger Newton, founder and CEO of Esperion Therapeutics and a longtime
The competition was also supported by the Business Accelerator Network for Southeast Michigan, which includes Ann Arbor SPARK, and by the University Research Corridor and the Business Leaders for
Armune BioScience took home top company honors and a check for $500,000. The Ann Arbor company is developing molecular diagnostic and prognostic kits for prostate, lung and breast cancers using technology licensed from U-M.
The top student-group award of $25,000 went to ReGenerate, a U-M-spawned maker of anaerobic digesters for disposing of organic waste.
Contact Sven Gustafson at sventg123@gmail.com, or follow him on Twitter @sveng
Comments
Mikey2u
Sun, Dec 12, 2010 : 9:52 a.m.
Snyders explaining why hes not going to be an effective Governor. Its not me, its you the cultures broken. Maybe if we all stop being partisan, racial and eastern, Rick will help us.
clownfish
Sun, Dec 12, 2010 : 8:56 a.m.
Things we can do to help turn around the culture of distrust/rancor/mired in the mud politics we have in MI; 1: Stop watching cable news. Hannity, Beck, Maddow and Olberman are not journalists, nor are they helping. Their job is to keep you afraid and to create divisiveness. 2: Stop blaming "the govt". YOU are the "govt". What can YOU do to help out your neighbors. If you encounter a reg that you thinks holds you up, go to your congressperson and work out a solution. Yes, it may be difficult and time consuming, but success does not always come easy. 3: Buy MI made goods whenever possible, even if it costs a little more. If you buy cheap imported crap, it may be your job that is the next one lost. 4: stop hating. 5: Give Rick a chance. I didn't vote for him, but he has some good ideas, a key one being his desire to STOP the useless bickering!
AlphaAlpha
Sun, Dec 12, 2010 : 8:47 a.m.
An interesting read, G.W.Williams, though a bit frustrating to wade through 30+ pages of gloom to get to the suggestions. The suggestions are generally good; though, sadly, small business is ignored. How much does Mr. Snyder support this?
G.W. Williams
Sun, Dec 12, 2010 : 12:52 a.m.
The costs of doing business are 3 to 4 percent higher in Michigan than in the states with which we most often compete for new jobs. We can't keep this up. We should follow the Michigan Turnaround Plan and immediately act to eliminate the personal property tax and reduce the Michigan Business Tax. Learn how we can do this @ http://www.michiganturnaroundplan.com.
AlphaAlpha
Sat, Dec 11, 2010 : 9:55 p.m.
As mentioned numerous times, Speechless has a good idea; there appears very much to gain with very little downside risk through the establishment of a MI state bank, modeled after the ND bank. The ND public bank is nearly a century old; the usurious interest rates allowed in ND are quite unrelated to the public bank; intense lobbying and donations (what else) circa ~1980ish by guess who the unfriendly multinational banks drove ND to 'modernize' their usury laws; tremendous jobs and money from the bank industry to ND followed, and banks are quite candid in telling ND legislators they'll leave quickly if those laws are made less bank-favorable. Regardless, ND usury law is an altogether separate issue from the public bank in ND. The ND bank was established long before the multinational banks gained their considerable influence. Though the concept of a public bank appears excellent, regrettably it is likely the multinational banks would not allow the formation of a state bank. They would claim some dire event would occur, much like Hank Paulson and Benny & the Inkjets did in 2008, if a public bank were created. Also regrettably, the average Yankee is quite easily scared into cooperation and acceptance today as well, so it seems there are only two chances of the excellent concept of the People's Bank Of Michigan ever happening. If the new Gov could create the new bank, the extra money we'd all have (from reduced interest payments the state and many citizens would pay) would assure his reelection...and a little more prosperity for the masses.
Basic Bob
Sat, Dec 11, 2010 : 9:47 p.m.
Having traveled a little and worked in quite a few locations, it is my observation that people everywhere are equally smart. However that does not mean people are equally successful. The subsistence farmers in Africa are probably quite ingenious with the limited resources they have. So my point is that the people of Michigan are smart enough to turn this thing around. In fact, not long ago most of us were doing quite well. So Gov. Snyder has an excellent point, that we need to work with what we have to improve our situation. The people of North Dakota, Texas, California, or India don't care what we do. The real problem in Michigan is that we don't take care of our collective selves. Management vs. union, East vs. West, rich vs. poor, urban vs. rural, U.P. vs. L.P, tea party vs. progressives, Chevy vs. Lexus. We need to get our act together, and anybody who thinks they need to get a leg up on the guy next to them is indedd part of the problem.
Mick52
Sat, Dec 11, 2010 : 9:25 p.m.
Not sure cutting taxes, business or not makes much sense when you are in the hole already. If you follow the link labelled "proved controversial" there is another problem with business in Michigan noted: high labor costs. When you attempt to lure business, you are competing with 49 states and the aspects of each come into play. If you like your employees you mike look at the 7 with no income tax. Dem or Rep, what we have been doing, which appears to me to be more related to staying in office than what is good for Michigan, is not working and it is going to take a major overhaul to recover. I frown when a politician says something like this: "We have the most talented people in the world in our state..." If we are so talented why are we doing so poorly? Sounds like the cheerleader. The kind of governor I like is Chris Christie. He's direct, he calls it like he sees it. And I think he is right.
David Briegel
Sat, Dec 11, 2010 : 9:21 p.m.
DonBee, You think making it safe for Bennie The Bookie and Louis The Loanshark to work unimpeded in Mich is the answer? They don't need Mich, they already own Wall St! How's that workin' for us?
DonBee
Sat, Dec 11, 2010 : 8:43 p.m.
I have to say, I see in this very thread, the divide that G.E. Snyder talks about. The negative comments and the entrenched positions. I think we can all (myself included) look in the mirror and say: "We have met the enemy and it is ME". We all need to dig in and help, it will mean that things we all want from the government will have to be put aside - lower taxes, more services, etc. It will take more money to run the state, it will take fewer services to balance the budget. We need to put people to work, that means that a number of laws and regulations have to change. As to the bank in North Dakota and its impact, a much large impact is the fact that there is NO cap on interest rates in the state for credit cards or other loans, so the big banks all put their processing centers for credit cards in the Dakotas. We too could be successful in a similar way, by finding something that is currently regulated and taking the regulations away, making Michigan a magnet for that industry. There are lots of things to choose from - but would it be a good idea? Inquiring minds want to know. We need jobs folks, and that means compromise to fix the business and hiring environment in the state. The state has to pay back $3.4 billion in unemployment insurance loans, it has to pay for unfunded medicaid and medicare. Those alone will drain any extra money out of the budget. Putting people to work will help provide more in the way of taxes in the long run. Detroit is broken and it drags on the whole state, it needs to be fixed. That means less broken areas are going to get less money. If we don't fix it Moe, Jay and Conan will continue to take easy shots at the state. Want to fix Michigan, it states with each of us.
Speechless
Sat, Dec 11, 2010 : 8:15 p.m.
"... can we trust Republicans to run our bank any better than... Wall St. or the Fed?" That's a good secondary question, whether asked rhetorically or not. The state-run bank appears to work pretty well in North Dakota, not exactly a blue state. And also note that in regions like western Europe, Australia and Japan, their major social programs — such as universal health care — are periodically left in the care of conservative politicians following elections. These programs may subsequently not receive all the funding required in order to thrive, but they do survive and retain public support. If Rick Snyder does feel, as he has stated, that access to capitalization has become a serious problem for Michigan, then it's incumbent upon him to seriously consider the creation of a state-run bank to increase availability. So, in lieu of answering the question directly, below are a few reference links related to the North Dakota state bank. The first is an article by Ellen Brown (author of Web of Debt) in yes! magazine that includes an overview of proposals taking shape in other U.S. states. The second, by the same author, includes discussion of this year's state bank proposals in Michigan. The last one is an interview in Mother Jones with the Bank of North Dakota president. http://www.yesmagazine.org/new-economy/campaign-for-state-owned-banks http://www.yesmagazine.org/new-economy/the-growing-movement-for-publicly-owned-banks http://motherjones.com/mojo/2009/03/how-nations-only-state-owned-bank-became-envy-wall-street
runbum03
Sat, Dec 11, 2010 : 7:43 p.m.
Yeah.... more cash from MEDC will be the answer.... If the question is: How fast can we become Fascist? Michigan has a top-heavy and lopsided State government. There's nothing "cultural" nor has it anything to do with polarization. Wake up, man. Hiding in Ann Arbor and issuing fatwas against opposing attitudes is a prescription for continued failure.
AlphaAlpha
Sat, Dec 11, 2010 : 6:31 p.m.
So much pessimism. It's in keeping with the depressed social mood evident in much of the western world for several years now. While we hope the new Gov can improve upon the old Gov, chances are, there will be little change. The root of outsourcing lies in DC with trade treaties enacted in recent years during a period of extreme social optimism. Most here might be surprised which Pres opened the door to the huge outsourcing we see today by signing the treaty enabling it, but that's another story. Regardless of who had won the recent election here, the winner's popularity would soon have plummeted; much like with the Pres. Few politicians escape periods of depressed social mood unscathed. Mr. Snyder will likely be no different.
xmo
Sat, Dec 11, 2010 : 6:30 p.m.
No more talk, I want to see results!
David Cahill
Sat, Dec 11, 2010 : 6:24 p.m.
Our divided political culture is a symptom of our economic collapse. There is no true political middle. Both sides passionately believe they hae the answers for Michigan. So division doesn't mean a "broken" culture, but rather reflects the divisions among people who disagree.
StartupGeek
Sat, Dec 11, 2010 : 6:23 p.m.
@glacialerratic. Yes, "Entrepreneurship and innovation are mantras of marketing" can be mantras of political marketing; however, in a market economy, they are the only sustainable ways jobs are created. How do you plan to pay for your proposed strategy of "lousy infrastructure and higher education?" Tax revenue comes from income taxes (from employees with jobs) and a much lesser extent corporate income taxes - both a result of companies that create jobs. Is your solution more deficit spending? States can't do that.
glacialerratic
Sat, Dec 11, 2010 : 6:04 p.m.
Entrepreneurship and innovation are mantras of marketing. Where's the capital to come from? The timber barons who laid waste nearly the entire state to clear-cut its forests helped capitalize the early development and growth of the auto industry. Capital's limpid pools are elsewhere, enticing but right now out of reach. Where are the markets? Perhaps in China if their huge rising middle class become consumers for American products. Michigan can no longer be the engine of its own economic growth. But we can do something ourselves about our lousy infrastructure and higher education.
Speechless
Sat, Dec 11, 2010 : 5:35 p.m.
"... He avoided mention of specific policy proposals that he would push as governor but has recently been promoting the morale-boost theme...." The departing Gov. Granholm is an ex-high school cheerleader who has delivered her share of content-limited, rah-rah speeches to boost morale. Snyder perhaps plans a somewhat "dramatic" shift to this same approach by speaking in the tone of voice of team coach at the pep rally, rather than head cheerleader. Yes, such stylistic change should put thousands back to work. Yesterday, on a related topic, mlive.com columnist Susan J. Demas wrote: "... Rick Snyder wasn't just elected governor on Nov. 2. He also won the role of savior-in-chief. "That's not really an exaggeration judging by editorials from papers across the state. Liberal editorial boards hail Snyder as someone who will bring bipartisanship and outside-the-box thinking to Lansing. Conservative writers laud him as the corporate antidote to the poison that Jennifer Granholm was to the economy. "No one seems to recall, of course, how many editorials hyperventilated over Granholm's status as the first female governor back in 2002. That was going to change everything. "Meanwhile, Republican lawmakers are adding fuel to the fire by cockily declaring that Snyder's plan to slash taxes and regulation will result in a near-instant fiscal turnaround for the state next year. "It is also rumored that Michigan will no longer have winter and the Lions will have a winning record, too. All thanks to Rick Snyder. "Nobody can live up to these absurd expectations. And it's both immature and dangerous for us to project them on our elected officials. But politicians often feed them with big campaign promises.... Barack Obama is feeling the sting of the lofty expectations he set in 2008...." Given that annarbor.com has occasionally reprinted essays authored by her mlive.com colleague, Rick Haglund, why not also add Demas to the roster of 'guest' political writers on this site? Her columns are highly substantive.
David Briegel
Sat, Dec 11, 2010 : 5:31 p.m.
The only question is, can we trust Republicans to run our bank any better than the run Wall St or the Fed?? Where can we find an honest banker?
Speechless
Sat, Dec 11, 2010 : 5:22 p.m.
"... Snyder said the availability of capital remains 'a major constraint' for businesses...." His general election opponent, Virg Bernero, frequently reiterated a call for the creation of a state-run bank. For the last 90 years, North Dakota has been demonstrating how such a bank can work and offer positive results. The big banks present a major roadblock to capitalization right now, as they typically do during a recession — the time when loans are most critical for helping jumpstart recovery. A state bank would give Michigan a degree of independence from the capricious behavior of commercial mega-banks, allow the state more control over its economic destiny, and help keep funds inside the state intead of having them spirited away to Wall Street.
StartupGeek
Sat, Dec 11, 2010 : 5:19 p.m.
I attended the above event where Snyder spoke, including the 2 days of presentations by startup companies. I understand the angst directed against Republicans in some of the comments as I am not a Republican yet I voted for this guy. The research by Michigan's Lowe Foundation shows that growth oriented startups are the net creators of jobs in the state. Snyder is absolutely the right guy for Michigan at this time in the state. Michigan has a national image exemplified by this week's Simpsons comment by Moe the bartender. "Now, now, lay off Detroit, them people is living in 'Mad Max' times." If we want to shed that image, we need to return to our entrepreneurial roots, encourage an entrepreneurial and innovation culture, and Snyder is the guy to make that happen. Others in the state might be a bit more hopeful if they had been in attendance.
David Briegel
Sat, Dec 11, 2010 : 3:59 p.m.
He will perform the duties of the office he purchased from his McMansion in his gated community in Superior Township. He will show up in the Capital only when it is convenient for him! You never demanded that he answer any serious questions and he never answered any. We are just supposed to "trust" that he will be better. WE are supposed to be fortunate to have HIM govern US!
Arboriginal
Sat, Dec 11, 2010 : 3:32 p.m.
HMMMM...well fix it up already Governor Nasaltone. Seems like what happened is greedy politicians allowed our manufacturing base to be shipped to our free trade partners. What a great deal for us! Remember "get an education" for those tech jobs? Gee, those jobs got outsourced as well. OOPS! So, whatcha gonna do Guvner? Hire more servants?
Oregon39_Michigan7
Sat, Dec 11, 2010 : 3:09 p.m.
Err, isn't this was canidate, President-Elect, and President Obama said about Washington DC? I guess if you count the Republicans in the Senate using the filibuster a record number of times to obstruct most legislation that does count (today's filibuster was used to block Health Care to the 9/11 First Responders).
Cash
Sat, Dec 11, 2010 : 2:58 p.m.
Yeah the man whose party of HIS CHOICE just took the funding from EMU who did a zero % increase and gave it to the wealthy U of M for building MORE building talks about fixing something? I'd say the fix is now IN. The middle class is going to hell in a handbasket. But the wealthy are fine.
81wolverine
Sat, Dec 11, 2010 : 2:30 p.m.
I agree with Snyder here. Michigan's political party leadership (both sides) has made it their priority over the last 25 years to fight with each other as opposed to serving the long-term interests of the people of Michigan. Their bickering and back-stabbing has cost this state dearly in lost business, workers, and tax-base. The best way to start is to change attitudes of the parties. Without changing this, getting meaningful new policies and laws enacted will be very difficult.
godsbreath64
Sat, Dec 11, 2010 : 2:07 p.m.
The rickety Snyder absconded from legitimate debates for the airing of the stench of party-before-country furver prior the casting of votes. Along the way since he could have adressed claims he has been a corporate raider -using this "profit" to take over now Michigan's guv. Notice he still keeps his policy temerity under wraps. That is because he knows they to be Michigan's embarassing menace. These counter-republicans don't believe in THEIR OBLIGATIONS to inform, rather than jive, the public. He has no business now claiming to be changing such a culture he has both sowed and harvested so handsomely from.