Michigan’s “Lost Decade” during the Aughts, marked by economic downturn and population losses, has been followed by another period of decline under Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer. The state lost a congressional seat in the last reapportionment and lost population for two consecutive years following the 2020 Census. A recent poll suggests that over a quarter of Michiganders aged 18 to 29 expect to live elsewhere within ten years, and another 18 percent are “unsure.” In response, the governor has created the Growing Michigan Together Council to design policies to “build, attract, and retain a skilled workforce” and set a population goal for 2050. However, Republicans are skeptical that the effort will bear fruit and have criticized it as an attempt to “circumvent the Legislature” and provide cover for tax hikes.
Whitmer has tasked the council with focusing on the economy, infrastructure, and education. However, her record on these issues is not encouraging. She has invested billions more in green energy, despite the failure of former Governor Jennifer Granholm’s similar investments. Whitmer has also doled out corporate welfare and signed the repeal of the state’s right-to-work law, which harms Michigan businesses’ competitiveness. Her proposal to hike the gas tax 45 cents a gallon to fund infrastructure repairs was abandoned, and a May 2022 poll found that 93 percent of likely voters rated Michigan roads negatively.
Whitmer’s response to the coronavirus pandemic caused widespread layoffs, and educational outcomes have fallen compared to already poor standards before the pandemic. Nursing homes were required to house coronavirus patients, and the governor shielded them from legal liability despite complaints about mishandling Covid cases. Whitmer has also expanded abortion access, enshrining a right to abortion in the state constitution and repealing the state’s pre–Roe abortion ban.
Despite the governor’s desire to retain Michigan’s youth, her council only requires one member below the age of 25. Michigan’s sons and daughters want economic progress, high-quality schools, and improved infrastructure. The state needs to make serious progress toward these goals to attract new residents. The new council will need to prove more than a rubber-stamp of Whitmer’s failed platform if the state wants to avoid another lost decade.
