SBAM Policy Position: Small businesses should be a central part of Michigan’s economic development strategy and should remain a part of Michigan Strategic Fund’s mission while having a seat at the table of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.  

Small businesses shouldn’t have to compete with multinational corporations for attention from state government. I support making small business economic development an explicit part of the Michigan Strategic Fund’s mission.

Yes. Small businesses should be at the center of Michigan’s economic development strategy. For too long, economic development efforts have focused on large, headline-grabbing projects while overlooking the small and medium-sized businesses that already employ Michiganders, invest in our communities, and drive economic growth. As part of my plan to reform the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), I will shift its focus away from chasing a handful of hyperscale projects and toward retaining and growing the businesses that already call Michigan home. We must prioritize retention of the jobs Michigan has and reclamation of the jobs our state has lost, followed by recruitment of new jobs from other states. We can make that shift in priorities without increasing bureaucracy or government spending. Above all, Michigan’s economic development strategy must be one that is obsessed with customer service and certainty for job providers, especially for those small businesses that have been subjected to the ideological and adversarial posture of state agencies such as EGLE.

I support making small business development an explicit part of the Michigan Strategic Fund’s mission and ensuring small businesses have a meaningful seat at the table. Again, Michigan’s economic development strategy should prioritize retention, reclamation, and recruitment—in that order. Existing Michigan businesses should be the first customers of our economic development agencies, and state government should focus on creating a business climate that helps them grow, hire, and succeed.