Center for Michigan Calls on Citizens To Submit Ideas for State's Future, Offers Online Forum
Nonpartisan 'Think and Do Tank' Launched

Citizens have an avenue to share their opinions and ideas about the future of Michigan through the nonprofit, bipartisan Center for Michigan, a "think and do tank" founded by publisher Phil Power in 2006. The Center for Michigan has put out a call for people of all political parties and philosophies to participate in a grassroots campaign for change, and to submit ideas online to assist the state through its economic crisis.

The Center for Michigan Web site offers a free weekly newsletter, columns by Mr. Power, and an ongoing participatory discussion forum, as well as newspaper articles. The site can be accessed at www.thecenterformichigan.net. People can submit comments at the site, or e-mail organizers to let them know they'd like to participate in live forums being planned across the state.

The center is well known in downstate Michigan and has gathered a broad base of distinguished citizens involved in various organizations to serve as its steering committee. It stresses collaboration among the political parties and finding solutions that look toward Michigan's future.

In particular, the Center has set these goals:

• To encourage a globally competitive, diversified, high productivity, and high income economy based on Michigan's talent, innovation, and individual achievements.

• To bring forth a public investment program focused on Michigan's competitive assets, in particular, research universities, environmental assets, and productive citizens. State taxing and spending practices should be aligned with these priorities, according to the center.

• To facilitate a citizen culture that embraces change and is forward looking, well educated, and entrepreneurial.

Michigan is facing its greatest crisis since the Great Depression, the Center for Michigan reports, as our unemployment rate tops the nation and many workers are bringing in smaller paychecks than just a few years ago, and many others have lost jobs. Economic challenges and splintered party politics have contributed to the need for a new, broadly acceptable set of policies for the state, it says.

Through its online forum and selected community conversations planned around the state, the Center for Michigan seeks to attract and mobilize citizens who want to participate in this campaign.

Among members of the steering committee are Tom Baldini, district manager for Congressman Bart Stupak and former chairman of the International Joint Commission; Richard Cole, chair of Department of Advertising, Public Relations and Retailing for Michigan State University; Paul Courant, former provost and professor of the Ford Schol of Public Policy and Department of Economics at University of Michigan; Paul Hillegonds, senior vice president of DTE Energy, former president of Detroit Renaissance,and former speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives; William Milliken, former Governor of Michigan; Mark Murray, president and CEO of Meijer Stores, Inc., and the former president of Grand Valley State University; John "Joe" Schwartz, former member of Congress and former Michigan State Senator, and Cynthia Wilbanks, vice president for state relations at University of Michigan.